NHS GRAMPIAN

HR ANNUAL REPORT 2009 - 2010

Introduction

The HR Annual Report is a new report from the HR Directorate to the Board and other key committees.

Aim

The aim of the report is to ensure the Board is sighted on all the key HR issues and the work of the Directorate.

Discussion

As staff are 70% of our controllable cost and our greatest asset, it is therefore imperative that the Board is fully versed with activities pertaining to staff, their development, numbers, policies, etc. Partnership involvement through these challenging times is essential.

Key Risks

During these financially challenging times, staff reductions are unavoidable. It is essential we continue to lead, motivate and develop our staff to ensure a sustainable healthcare system in the North East of Scotland.

Conclusion

The HR Directorate has a broad remit and its activities are crucial to a successful and motivational workforce. All activities of the Directorate are carried out in partnership.

Recommendation

The Board is requested to note the current and future activities of the HR Directorate.

Mark Sinclair

Director of HR & Strategic Change

24 May 2010

NHS GRAMPIAN DIRECTORATE OF HUMAN RESOURCES STRATEGIC CHANGE

ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010

Executive Summary

NHS Grampian recognises its staff are the most valuable asset as they strive to deliver outstanding care to the population of Grampian.

NHS Grampian invests more than 68% of its annual budget (excluding Family Health Services) on the employment of over 17,000* people. There is clear awareness that excellence in patient care depends on ensuring that every individual employee is given the opportunity to,and is empowered to, contribute as much as they possible can.

The purpose of this document is to describe how the Directorate of Human Resources & Strategic Change has supported NHSGrampian to achieve its vision and values, strategic themes and associated measurable targets over the period 2009/2010.

The HR & Strategic Change Directorate has endeavoured to link its key projects and programmes to the 5 Strategic Themes

  • Delivering safe, effective and timely care
  • Improving health and reducing health inequalities
  • Involving you (staff, the public, carers and partners)
  • Developing and empowering our workforce
  • Improving efficiency, productivity and sustainability

It has been a busy and productive year for the Directorate in 2009-10. The highlights include:

  • The Voluntary Early Release Scheme (VERS) and Voluntary Severance Scheme (VS) were developed in partnership and successfully implemented with a recurring saving of £1.5 m.
  • The Continuous Service Improvement initiative (CSI) was launched and has now been adopted as the Service Improvement/Redesign methodology for NHS Grampian. Already £2.4 m of savings have been delivered in theProcurement Best Value CSI programme.
  • Work has begun on the Safe Affordable Workforce (SAW) programme and already management savings of approximately 10% have been identified.
  • The NHS Grampian People Strategy has been developed in partnership and launched.
  • The OH&S Committee and H&S strategy are now up and running.
  • The Occupational Health Service delivered H1NI vaccination to over 10,000 NHS staff and staff from other local authorities.
  • We have developed joint working with other Public Sector bodies in the North East, eg Leadership Development and Relocation.

The challenging financial times ahead, not just for 2010-11 but also for the next 4 or 5 years, means that the directorate will be focusing on providing leadership and support around our 3 sustainability initiatives, ie

  • Continuous Service Improvement initiative (CSI)
  • Safe Affordable Workforce (SAW)
  • EPPMO (support)

For 2010/11, our Local Delivery Plan submission identified that we have a funding gap of £34m of which £18m is deliverable (however £11.9m of this figure involves significant vacancy management, reduction of hours, etc). The remaining £16m can be achieved through the equivalent reduction of the workforce of approximately 500 (based on an average salary of £35k). Through a safe approach to the management of turnover, we believe we would only be able to reduce staff numbers by approximately 226, therefore, an additional 274 posts would have to be potentially removed via redesign.

Supporting staff through these challenging times will also be a key priority for the Directorate and our strong partnership approach will be an essential part of our strategic delivery.

Mark Sinclair

Director of HR & Strategic Change

Strategic Development

Board & Inter-Board Development

Executive Development

Major Activity for 2009-2010

At a time of growing complexity, competing priorities and scarcity of resource, it has never been more critical to ensure sound, effective and consistent leadership of the NHS Grampian Health system.

Board Development

During 2009-10 the NHS Board have focused attention on strengthening its governance and scrutiny of the system on behalf of the people of Grampian.

Reviews of the constitutions and remits of its governance committees as well as process reviews of how effectively the committees are working have been undertaken with actions plans in place for increasing effectiveness.

Continuous improvement of these scrutiny processes is vital to ensure that the Board holds the Executive Team to account for the delivery of safe, effective and timely services.

In addition the Board undertook a review of the essential elements which contribute to the overall effectiveness of the Board, including:

  • how it engages with its stakeholders, partners, staff and patients
  • how it develops strategic priorities
  • how well it scrutinises and holds the system to account
  • how effectively it works together as a team
  • how robust its leadership is

This critical piece of work now provides an objective base line for the continuing development programme for the NHS Grampian Board.

Executive Development

Working in concert with the Board’s continuous improvement, the Executive team have continued to hone their transformational and engaging leadership skills and have completed the following:

  • Personal 360o review including feedback with a supporting coaching programme
  • A series of whole team protected development and improvement sessions
  • Personal development plans
  • Executive sponsor role for one of the CSI projects
  • Personal leadership of and engagement with Face2Face programme
  • Improvement in the quality of strategic and personal objectives setting

Strategic Development Aims for 2010-2011

Build on and deepen the learning within the Executive team, particularly with respect to bedding in the new team structure.

Create a practical and achievable Board Development Plan which demonstrates value to the organisation.

Increase the measurable accountability of the Board and its Executive Team.

Enhance the governance structure between NHS Grampian, Orkney & Shetland to mutually enhance the development of these Boards.

Human Resources

Human Resources-Operations

Human Resources Service Centre

Partnership & Staff Governance

Major activity 2009-2010

The appointment of a Head of Human Resources has brought together the existing operational human resourcesteams (HR Operational Teams), the Human Resources Service Centre (HRSC) and the Partnership and Staff Governance functions, which has allowed for a closer and more consistent approach to delivery in these areas.

NHS Grampian’s workforce vision is to ensure that we meet the need of individuals and communities by providing high quality, safe and affordable care through an empowered and flexible workforce which understands the diverse needs of the population and which chooses to work for and remains committed to the NHS. We need to ensure this workforce is not only adaptable but also available and affordable.

During 2009-10 the HR Operational Teams and the HRSC joined together to develop and implement in partnership with staff the NHS Grampian Voluntary Early Release Scheme (VERS) and Voluntary Severance Scheme (VS). There were 600 expressions of interest, 400 formal applications and 62 approved applications.

It is recognised that NHS Grampian are using approximately £2million of non-recurring funding to pay for the scheme.

The NHS Grampian People Strategy has also been developed in partnership. The purpose of this document is to describe how the Directorate will support NHSGrampian to achieve its vision and values, strategic themes and associated measurable targets over the next three years. In order to achieve this, it is essential that we reposition and strengthen the relationship between line management and human resources; and reinforce a state of interdependency between the two to achieve the organisational goals.

HROperations (HR Ops)

The Operational HR Teams have been at the forefront in delivering quality services to our aligned sectors/departments. The Business Partner model which we have adopted ensures that consistent people management practice is promoted, supported and monitored at all levels of NHS Grampian and that HR is represented at all levels of decision making within the organisation.

The six Operational Teams are at the forefront of the following work:

  • Safe Affordable Workforce
  • Employee Relations
  • Service Redesign
  • Absence Management
  • Policy Development and Implementation
  • VERS/VS Delivery

HR Service Centre (HRSC)

The HRSC hascompleted the implementation of all key areas within Agenda for Change, although residual payroll activities will continue until summer 2010.

Developments we have achieved:

eExpensesPathfinder project has been implemented on behalf of the Shared Services Project,achieving an 80% implementation.

A cross public sector relocation tender involving NHSGrampian, Aberdeen City Council, Grampian Police & Grampian Fire and Rescue Service was awarded in February 2010.

ePayroll business case has been prepared and specification of system requirements for the new NHSScotland system.

Recruitment practices have been further reviewed by means of a full Continuous Service Improvement (CSI) programme, the recommendations for this work will be implemented next year as will the introduction of the fully computerised Applicant Tracking system.

Openeda state of the art108 placeLittle Acorns Day Nursery.

Developedan innovative Employer Supported Childcare Scheme with the provision of nursery places on a collaborative cross public sector working basis toAberdeenUniversity.

PartnershipStaff Governance

In NHS Grampian we have a culture and history of working together – we share a strong commitment to delivering the best possible patient care. Throughout the year we have continued to see the involvement of all staff, working in partnership as an essential part of the way in which we work. This is evidenced through our monthly Grampian Area Partnership Forum and the regular Sector Partnership Forums. The organisation consults employees or their representatives so their views are taken into account in decisions affecting their interests through the Grampian Partnership process.

To help us deliver as efficiently as possible we have worked more closely with regional colleagues in the North of Scotland in the NHS and across the wider public sector.

Actions from the Work and Wellbeing Survey and the NHS Scotland Staff Survey are being taken forward as part of our Staff Governance Action Plan in line with the Health and Safety Executive Stress Management Standards on a pan Grampian basis.

Partnership

Gordon Stephen was re-elected as Employee Director for a four year term commencing October 2009. The staff side in 2010 presented a Memo of Understanding, which has been accepted by management, highlighting how they will work in partnership during this period of financial challenges.

Staff side have also been allocated an increase in capacity to allow full engagement in the Safe Affordable Workforce review. This increase in facility time will ensure that partnership is fully embedded in the other redesign work, eg EPPMO and CSI.

It is important that during this period of severe financial challenge that staff are seen as the solution to the challenge we face and not the cause.

Mediation Service

During 2009/10, 8 completed mediations weredelivered by internal mediators in the NHS Grampian Workplace Mediation Scheme.

Based on the information collected through confidential audit, the mediations delivered progress in relation to at least one or more issues brought to mediation by the parties.

Dignity at Work

Six members of staff were trained on an accredited Dignity at Work Investigation Course.

Strategic Development Aims for 2010-2011

Safe and Affordable Workforce: Through the SAW (and VERS/VS) project(s), provide support to staff at various stages of the process.

HR Operational Teams: To ensure service re-design opportunities are realised with the aim of reducing staffing costs and improving service provision and to facilitate the implementation of the People Strategy.
HRSC: To maximise the use and benefits gained from appropriate IT Systemsto improve efficiency and performance of the Team. Nursery Service –to monitor and review occupancy levels to ensure financial and service success.
Partnership: To review the Partnership Working arrangements to match the changing needs of staff and management.

Strategic Change Organisational Development

Learning development

Leadership development

Workforce development redesign

Strategic change- Continuous Service Improvement

The creation of this post has brought together the existing functions of Learning and Development and Workforce Development and Redesign with an additional third strand of Strategic Change. In December 2009, the Service Redesign function moved from planning under the remit of strategic change.

Learning Development

The overall aim of the Learning and Development team is to:

  • Contribute to the development of HR Development strategies and plans for NHS Grampian reflecting local need and national policy
  • Design, deliver and evaluate learning interventions to meet service needs
  • Promote and enhance a culture of individual, team and organisational development.
  • Contribute to the organisation’s development of people management practice, partnership working and staff governance

During 2009, the Learning and Development team undertook a service redesign exercise employing Continuous Service Improvement (CSI) methodology. This resulted in many benefits including a centralised administrative team and a refreshed web-page on the intranet. Other developments achieved or planned include:

  • Progress towards the KSF Heat target for March 2011.
  • Implementation of the AT (All-Time) Learning Management System. Planned for completion by December 2010.
  • NHSG is involved in the specification of a national HR system which will include a learning management system which at least matches the current capabilities.
  • Expansion of the NHS Grampian Work Experience programme.
  • An agreed statutory/mandatory list of training for the organisation which can be implemented using e-KSF and AT Learning
  • Supportfor awareness and change management workshops for CSI
  • Continued training delivery in health and safety topics as required

Good progress has been made in line with our commitment to providing increased access to Learning and Professional Development materials via the Web. To augment and compliment courses currently delivered across the Board and toreduce the costs associated with attending training events, e-learning materials are being developed in-house by subject experts for publication on the Learning Portal. Hosted onthe AT Learning system, courses will be available24/7 enabling staff access at a time and place to suit them, andlearner's outcomes will automatically be updated intheir Personal Development Plan

Leadership Development

Progress has been significant, in particular around:

Succession planning:The development of a “next-in-line” succession plan for the Executive team and direct reports is almost completed. The intention, as well as to develop bespoke interventions for those on the succession plan, is to align national initiatives to names on the plan where appropriate. This would mean that instead of “advertising” for applications when national programmes appear, individuals on the plan would be targeted to maximise the opportunities wherever possible.

The national NHS leadership programme: This programme is currently running in the North. There are three cohorts in Inverness, Aberdeen and Perth, covering the Board areas of Grampian, Highland, Tayside, Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland. The programme comprises three modules, e-learning and master-classes.

National Trainees: An application has been submitted for another management trainee in this year’s scheme. The current trainee completes in September and NHSG is required to provide her with a post for a minimum of a year.

Collaborating for Outcomes:Agreement has been reached to run apublic sector leadership programme in the North East which will be known as “Collaborating for Outcomes", based on the national programme. Five local organisations have agreed to be part of this, namely:

  • NHS Grampian
  • Aberdeen City council
  • Aberdeenshire council
  • Grampian Police
  • Grampian Fire service

The programme will focus on the delivery of the joint outcome agreements and be underpinned by adaptive leadership theory. The commencement date will be August with modules approximately 6 weeks apart and there will be 20 places available.

Public Sector mentoring Programme: The public sector mentoring programme will run again as a 3rd cohort. It will be advertised in June with a closing date of end July, with matchingand training in August to enable mentoring to start in September.

Workforce Development Redesign

The overall aim of the team is to support the organisation to achieve and maintain a safe, affordable and sustainable workforce which is competent and multiprofessional in nature and able todeliverservices efficiently and effectively.

This area has built on the expertise of individuals from within the medical, nursing and allied health professionals (AHP) workforce areas to bring together the use of workforce planning tools and system information from SWISS and SSTS. Following the publication of NHS Grampian’s Workforce Plan for 2009-10 we have taken forward the following:

  • Surveyed all General Practices across Grampian and developed key workforce information regarding the Primary Care Workforce.
  • Produced management guidance and a framework to support the development of band 3 & 4 support workers.
  • Met the requirements of the European Working Time Directive for the junior medical workforce and ensuring sustainable service provision.
  • Developed links with our regional partners and identifying processes and objectives to enhance working across the North of Scotland.

The Workforce team are now closely aligned to service redesign activity through the CSI portfolio of programmes and projects, ensuring that workforce planning is embedded at the start of any service change. We have also adopted the nation 6 Steps methodology with members of the team trained to deliver training to others.