APPROVED

NHS GRAMPIAN

Minute of the Staff Governance Committee

held on Tuesday, 21 August 1012 at 10.30 am

in Seminar Room, Summerfield House

Present:

Mike Scott, Board Member (Chair)

Sharon Duncan, Employee Director

David Anderson, Board Member

Richard Carey, Chief Executive

Linda Juroszek, Chair of ACF

Bill Howatson, Chairman

Gillian Needham, Post Grad Medical Dean for NoS

Mike Park, Staff Side

In Attendance:

Annie Ingram, Director of Workforce

Clare Ruxton, Deputy Director of Workforce

Anne Inglis, Head of OD

Gerry Lawrie, Workforce Development & Redesign

Julie Nicol, HR Manager, Orkney

Mary Innes

Item / Subject / Action
1. / Apologies
Apologies had been received Ali Grant, Staff Side Rep.
Julie Nicol, HR Manager NHS Orkney, was welcomed to the meeting.
2. / Minute of Meeting 10 May 2012
This was accepted as a true record.
A request was made that if acronyms were to be used the full meaning of these should also be shown.
A question was raised in relation to the cost of the national 360 tool reports. It was confirmed that this cost related to the report which was produced, the cost of which would now have to be met by each Board. The actual cost had not been agreed.
3. / Staff Story
A positive story from a member of staff was read. This person had not been involved in partnership until recently and had struggled with change, but once she realised the benefits, she understood and accepted that change needed to happen. There were a number of other stories in the pipeline, both positive and not so positive and to indicate themes that were arising.
Discussion took place on whether these should go to the Board and it was agreed if they did it would have to be in context of organisational climate or along with other stories to give a balance.
It was recognised that this could be an opportunity to get stories from staff who work in different places, including junior doctors, and Gillian agreed to take forward.
The Committee asked for their thanks to be passed on to the individual. / GN
4. / Strategic Risk Register – Risk No 752 – Staff Welfare – Well Being, Safety and Health
Concern was expressed that the content of this risk was too wide ranging as it covered a whole range of things including H&S, Dignity at Work, staff welfare, etc. It was reported that the Executive Team regularly reviewed the Corporate Risk Register and if the Committee had views on this risk, a proposal for change should be developed for consideration. Following discussion, it was agreed that there should be a separate risk for H&S and AKI agreed to ask Keith Thomson to review this in collaboration with Risk Management before submitting to the Executive Team for approval and back to the Committee at the next meeting.
On the issue of dignity at work, it was confirmed that the policy was being reviewed and it was planned to identify a champion (probably a Non-Executive Director).
The paper submitted gave the Committee assurance that a range of actions was in place to mitigate this risk as far as possible. / AKI
5. / People Strategy/Workshop/2020 Workshop – 27 September 2012
The draft programme for the 2020 Workshop to be held on 27 September was noted. This event would set the context for the Workforce 2020 and what this would mean for the people employed by NHS Grampian. It would also inform the People Strategy and the Workforce Plan. The final programme was to be issued soon.
In relation to the national workforce strategy, it was confirmed that the workforce vision had to work for this organisation but that it would also dovetail into the national strategy. It was recommended that the vision and values should be put out to the organisation to reaffirm these.
6. / Revised Staff Governance Standards
The revised Staff Governance Standards had been issued and these were about both rights and responsibilities. Work had been carried out with GAPF on revising the Staff Governance Action Plan for this year. Work was ongoing to get this information out to the organisation. / SD/AKI
7. / Staff Experience Project
A group had been set up by the Scottish Government to look at Staff Experience and a number of recommendations had been identified.
Discussion took place on how to take this forward. Previously Boards were assessed through the Self-Assessment Audit Tool (SAAT) process, the Staff Experience would now inform how Boards would be assessed in the future. It would also be linked to the staff survey. This would be taken to the GAPF for discussion and a group would be set to take forward for the organisation. This work would be reported back to this Committee in the future. / SD/AKI
8. / Learning & Development
8.1 / KSF/L&D Update
The report was noted and the following highlighted:
  • Induction – it was highlighted that NHSG induction was not working as well as it should. One of the L&D Managers was working on this and was putting together some recommendations.

  • Healthcare Support Workers (HCSW) –The current level of completion of the code of conduct for NHSG was at 25%. Funds had been identified to help solve this issue and work was ongoing to improve this situation.
  • eKSF – it was reported that in relation to PDPs NHSG was now only at 45% compliant and it was important to improve this situation. The following issues were discussed/ identified:
  • There was a lack of understanding of the technical system, how to do appraisals, the staff role, the manager role, not signing off, etc.
  • Training was ongoing on KSF and it was recognised that additional support was required.
  • This was around performance appraisal, behaviour change in managers, holding line managers to account.
  • It was important to focus in a constructive way on the areas where performance was lacking.
It was agreed that this would go to the Executive Team to encourage improvement in the completion of eKSF throughout the organisation.
Work would continue on improving this percentage and a progress report would be brought back to the next meeting. / GL/AKI
9. / Workforce Development & Redesign
9.1 / Workforce Planning (Gerry Lawrie in attendance)
9.1.1 / Workforce Plan – Action Plan
The Action Plan was noted and the following highlighted:
  • Education of Band 3s & 4s – funds available from NES to help organise parallel training for bands 3 & 4 to achieve recognised prior learning.
  • Nursing & Midwifery workload/workforce –agreement reached that these tools would be used in Grampian once a year – to be used for workforce planning as a supportive tool.
  • HCSW – resource identified.

9.1.2 / Workforce Information Report
The new report was noted and the following highlighted/discussed:
  • WTE variance – 14.6.
  • Bank usage – bank spend on nursing & midwifery (N&M) was higher than last year. It was noted that N&M was under establishment by 187 and concern was raised that this was being offset by the use of the bank. It was crucial that bank usage was efficient, flexible and as a last resort. Work was ongoing to resolve the areas where bank usage was highest. It was requested that Elinor Smith be invited to the next meeting to clarify.
/ MI
  • Sickness Absence – percentage slightly up in June compared to last year.
  • Staff turnover – turnover rate decreased to 10.78% with stability fairly high at around 91%.
  • Vacancy Management – figures from the quarterly report produced for ISD. These were the posts that had been through the vacancy control group and were on the system. It was noted that this did not include medical and dental staff and it was reported that it would be a challenge to report that information.
  • It was confirmed that the displaced staff – 11 nurses and 11 A&C were in work and contributing while waiting to be redeployed to established posts.

10. / Organisation Development Update
The comprehensive report was noted and the following highlighted:
  • Leading for the future – third module, 5 participants from NHSG.
  • National Trainees – one had commenced second placement in the Acute Sector and the other had completed first placement with the Chief Operating Officer.
  • Review of National Leadership Strategy – ongoing – NHSG response to be prepared.
  • Public Sector Mentoring – 4th year, 33 matched.

  • Collaborating for Outcomes Programme – a full evaluation of the programme had taken place and it had been agreed to run a second programme. It was recognised that this was an opportunity to look at Health & Social Care across the National Leadership Programme.
  • Discussion was ongoing on the design and delivery of a public sector management development programme.
  • An NHSG Development Plan was being drafted.
  • Talent Management/Continuous Personal Improvement – sub-group had been set up.
  • Coaching – a coaching framework was under development.
It was requested that the Board Development work should be included in this report.
11. / Partnership & Staff Governance
11.1 / Staff Governance Action Plans 2012/13
The final version of the current Staff Governance Action Plan was noted. This would dovetail into the Staff Experience project and the SAAT standards.
The Committee supported this and agreed that updates should be presented at each meeting.
11.2 / GAPF Update
The GAPF update was noted and the following highlighted:
  • It was planned to hold GAPF meetings outwith Aberdeen and the first one had been held in SpynieHospital in Elgin.
  • Car parking – an audit had been introduced in 3 separate areas to ensure consistency of process, who were given permits, etc. The result of this would be reported back. The shuttle bus timetable had been revised. It was noted that 98% of complaints to Facilities was around car parking.
  • RRP for Estates Staff – awaiting outcome of a very robust application for RRP for these staff. Due to staffing issues, it was stressed that it was important for this to resolved as soon as possible.

12. / 12.1 / Case Review – New Ways of Working
It was reported that three of the HR operational teams were now based together at Westholme. The next step in the plan was around new ways of working to get efficiencies and consistency of advice into the system. This would be achieved by monthly meetings reviewing the previous month’s work, particularly policies and practices. Partnership colleagues to be invited on a regular basis.
12.2 / Organisational Culture
12.2.1 / Post-Graduate & Under Graduate Medical Student Survey 2012
This was the result of the GMC Survey of our Junior Doctors. Most of the issue/concerns from the survey were about teaching, educational resources, workload, overall satisfaction, and behaviours in our business. The results of the survey indicated that within NHSG there was a lot of undermining behaviours, either experienced or seen to happen.
Discussions were ongoing on how to take forward and how to share this information widely in the organisation in order to tackle these issues. A meeting had been arranged with the main clinical leads and a more detailed report would be brought back to the next meeting.
12.3 / VS Update
For noting.
13. / Corporate H&S
The Committee congratulated Keith on his appointment to Head of Health and Safety. His update paper was noted and the following highlighted:
  • Training Team – concerns on releasing trainers. Data on non-attendance had been issued through GAPF. Work had commenced arranging honorary contracts for certain AberdeenUniversity and RGU staff to allow student access to elearning packages prior to entry to NHSG. Also H&S lectures to be arranged to certain students to better prepare them for entry into NHSG.

  • H&S Audits –This audit would take place from September onwards, starting with locations which had known issues.
  • Fire – a meeting had been held with Grampian Fire & Rescue Service re progress on compliance on assessments that had taken place. These meetings would be held every 2 months.
  • H&S Future – the focus would be on the audits, policy streamlining, increasing the number of H&S reps, working with L&D on AT learning and encouraging the use of Datix.
It was requested that the Audit Plan should come back to the Committee. The Committee formally supported the use of Datix to record all incidents.
It was noted that the European H&S week would be held in October and information would be issued soon.
13.1 / Safety Statistics January-December 2011 (Andrew Wood in attendance)
The paper on Recorded Incidents of Accident-Abuse was noted and the following highlighted.
  • Breakdown of incidents by group – there had been a significant fall in the number of incidents since 2010.
  • After some analysis, it was thought that this was due to a significant amount of under-reporting or mis-grading of incidents.
  • It was planned to put risk assessments on Datix in future. It was hoped that this would solve the issue where it was reported that there had been no investigation documents.
  • It was recognised that the use of Datix should be encouraged throughout the organisation.
  • It was agreed that this report should come to the Committee annually.

14. / Attendance Management
14.1 / Attendance Management ( Dr E Murphy in attendance)
Dr Murphy was welcomed to the meeting. Her report was noted which showed good progress in reducing the long term absence and the recent impact on short term absence where NHSG’s short term absence had been below the national average for the last 7 months. In order to produce sustained improvement, more focus on short term management should be considered – see below.
14.2 / iAMS Report
The iAMS service provides contact form OHS on the first day of absence to offer advice and support as appropriate. This had been piloted unfunded for a time in certain areas, funding had now been received from Acute to take this forward there. This had been well received with managers being supportive. Work harder on sustainability.
The Committee noted the favourable results from the initial project areas and commended the work involved. It was recognised that problems could arise where there was inequality of provision. The cost for the whole organisation would be £350k.
15. / PWC Audits – Junior Doctors Compliance and Job Planning & Appraisal
There had been no opportunity to review these two audit reports prior to them going to Audit Committee. A number of concerns were raised – both about the actual audits as well as the findings. The audits were subsequently reviewed, resubmitted and signed off. It was thought important that this Committee should see the full reports submitted and to see the issues identified, recommendations and the plans being put in place to address these.
.
16. / Future Dates
The dates for meetings next year were agreed as:
Tuesday, 19 March
Tuesday, 21 May
Tuesday, 20 August
Tuesday, 19 November
(all from 11.30-2.00 pm in the Seminar Room, Summerfield House)
17. / GAPF Minute – noted
18. / Date of Next Meeting
20 November 2012 at 11.30 am in the Seminar Room, Summerfield House

1

V:\GHB-2000\Glenys and Lesley Shared\2013 Board\5 February\item11.6Staf Governance2108112.doc