NHS GRAMPIAN

PEOPLE STRATEGY

Introduction

NHS Grampian has developed a corporate strategy with a clear set of measurable objectives. The People Strategy, and its underpinning plans, integrate with and provide support to that corporate strategy.

Aim

The Strategy is being submitted to Board for approval following a thorough and lengthy consultation process throughout the organisation.

Discussion

This People Strategy supports a general approach to the strategic management of human resources which deals with longer term workforce issues and about structure, quality, culture, values, performance, commitment and matching resource to future needs. It sets out the general direction NHS Grampian will follow to make the most effective use of human resources available now, and in the future, to deliver a sustainable health service to the population of the North East of Scotland.

Key Risks

In order to achieve this People Strategy, it will be essential to reposition HR and to strengthen the role of line management to reinforce a state of interdependency with HR to achieve organisational goals. If this is not achieved there is a definite risk that the service and its impact on patient care will be affected.

The focus of all HR Directorate activity will be influenced by the organisation development agenda for NHS Grampian. In other words, the purpose of HR will be to develop the organisation and create the environment in which we can deliver the vision. The risk if this is not achieved is that organisational objectives will not be achieved.

The HR Directorate will also provide specialist skills and advice in all HR related key areas. This role will help to eliminate risks associated with the management of our people.

Conclusion

This Strategy has been developed in partnership and defines the direction of travel for people management within the organisation.

Recommendation

The Board is requested to approve this Strategy.

Mark Sinclair

Director of HR and Strategic Change

17 September 2009

FINAL DRAFT

PEOPLE STRATEGY

Document prepared by:

HR Directorate and Partners

Date Prepared:

July 2009

Review Date:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

NHS Grampian has developed a corporate strategy with a clear set of measurable objectives. The People Strategy, and its underpinning plans, integrate with and provide support to that corporate strategy.

This People Strategy has three main aims:-

  • To illustrate alignment to NHS Grampian strategic themes and objectives;
  • To describe the vision for future development of the Human Resources (HR) Directorate; and
  • To provide high level information regarding the future activities of each area within the HR Directorate and how the constituent parts of it will work together to help deliver NHS Grampian’s corporate strategy.

This People Strategy supports a general approach to the strategic management of human resources which deals with longer term workforce issues and about structure, quality, culture, values, performance, commitment and matching resource to future needs. It sets out the general direction NHS Grampian will follow to make the most effective use of human resources available now, and in the future, to deliver a sustainable health service to the population of the North East of Scotland.

The People Strategy identifies key themes:-

  • People Management issues are not just the responsibility of the HR Directorate

HR does not work in isolation and the role of making the most effective use of the human resources available to NHS Grampian is the responsibility of all, at a level appropriate to their role in the organisation.

  • Performance Management

In order to achieve the organisation’s objectives, performance management at all levels is critical.

  • Continuous Improvement

Due to financial and demographic changes, it is essential that the organisation continually seeks ways to optimise use of resources and, where appropriate, redesign the service provided to meet the needs of the patient/carer (or end user) more effectively.

The document will be developed and reviewed on a regular basis by the HR Director with the Board, Executive Team, Staff Side colleagues and head of each functional HR area to ensure that the HR Directorate remains aligned to the future direction of NHS Grampian. Progress against objectives in underpinning plans will be reviewed by the HR Director in partnership with head of each individual HR functional area.

Contents

Section 1: Alignment to NHS Grampian Strategic Themes and Objectives

Background 4

Purpose 4

Section 2: Vision for Future Development of the HR Directorate

Introduction 6

Scope 6

Transformational Approach 7

Implementation, Evaluation and Review 11

Annex 1: Action Plan

3.1Corporate Health and Safety 12

3.2Operational HR Teams 14

3.3HR Service Centre 16

3.4Leadership Development 19

3.5Learning and Development 21

3.6Occupational Health Service 23

3.7Partnership & Staff Governance 25

3.8Strategic Change and Organisation Development 27

3.9Workforce Development & Redesign 29

Annex 2: Managers’ Code of Conduct32

SECTION 1:ALIGNMENT TO NHS GRAMPIAN STRATEGIC THEMES AND OBJECTIVES

Background

NHS Grampian has recently reviewed and developed its overall purpose, vision, values and principles and, as a consequence, developed clear strategic themes with supporting strategic objectives. This builds upon the original work of the Grampian Health Plan entitled Healthfit (revised in 2009) and,as a result, we are embarking on a period of unprecedented change. In order to ensure that health and healthcare services are sustainable for the North East of Scotland there is a requirement to balance the three elements of:-

  • Service delivery underpinned by service redesign;
  • Financial management; and
  • Workforce competence, redesign and availability.

In support of the vision, NHS Grampian has developed five strategic themes which provide an overarching framework for the alignment and development of all activity across the organisation, namely:-

  • Improving the public’s health and reducing inequalities;
  • Delivering safe, effective and timely care in the right place;
  • Involving patients/carers, public, staff and partners towards mutuality;
  • Developing the workforce and empowering staff; and
  • Improving efficiency, productivity and sustainability.

Purpose

NHS Grampian invests more than 67% of its annual budget (excluding Family Health Services) on the employment of over 17,000* people and is aware that excellence in patient care depends on ensuring that every individual employee is given the opportunity to contribute to the extent that can be reasonably expected of them.

The purpose of this document is to describe how the HR Directorate will support NHSGrampian to achieve its vision and values, strategic themes and associated measurable targets over the next three years.

*17,041 as at May 2009

In order to achieve the strategic objectives of NHS Grampian, it is essential that ownership for achieving the objectives within this document is shared by not only the HRDirectorate, but also by management and staff side colleagues. In addition, all staff will be encouraged to have an awareness and understanding of the People Strategy relevant to their role in the organisation.

In particular, the issue of performance management at all levels must be given higher priority. All employees of NHS Grampian have a responsibility to ensure that individually, within their team and as a service in its entirety, we continually aspire to improve the performance and quality of everything we deliver to our patient/carers and the public.

In order to successfully deliver this strategy, it is essential that the different functional areas within the HR Directorate work together as a team aligned to each of the main service areas. To maintain and improve excellence in patient care and to become an employer of choice, many of the high level plans included in this document will require support from colleagues across a variety of directorates, calling on HR colleagues for specialist expertise as and when required.

The Board and the Executive Team have a responsibility to provide leadership, setting the direction, providing support and modelling leadership behaviours. The HR Directorate provides frameworks and technical support to managers in accordance with the corporate lead. Line Managers apply knowledge and skills in their day-to-day management activities. Staff Side colleagues provideleadership, advice and support to their members working in partnership with managers to achieve organisational objectives and underpin strategies, policies and plans.

Development of the People Strategy has involved staff side colleagues, the HRDirectorate, Operational Management Team and Executive Management Team. This document will form the basis of work plans for the HR Directorate going forward and has clear, tangible links to NHS Grampian strategic themes.

The next section of this document will describe the scope of the NHS Grampian HRDirectorate and outline the vision for the HR Directorate’s future development.

SECTION 2:VISION FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HR DIRECTORATE

Introduction

To fully support the overarching strategic objectives of NHS Grampian, the service delivery must adapt. This section of the People Strategy describes how current HR practices will evolve over the next three years.

Scope

The HR Directorate incorporates the following areas:-

1.Corporate Health and Safety

2.Operational HR Teams

3.HR Service Centre

4.Leadership Development

5.Learning and Development (L&D)

6.Occupational Health Service

7.Partnership and Staff Governance

8.Strategic Change and Organisational Development (OD) and

9.Workforce Development & Redesign

Fig 1: Illustration of NHS Grampian HR Directorate with People Strategy at its core

More information about each individual functional area is contained in Annex 1 of this document.

Transformational Approach

In order to achieve this People Strategy, it will be essential to reposition and to strengthen the relationship between line management and HR; and reinforce a state of interdependency between the two to achieve the organisational goals.

The focus of all HR Directorate activity will be influenced by the organisational development agenda for NHS Grampian. In other words, the purpose of the HR Directorate will be to develop the organisation in order to deliver the vision and also provide specialist skills and advice in all human resources related key areas.

In the HR Directorate we can describe our function as support, guidance, direction and governance of change in:

  • Purpose (vision, values and corporate objectives from the strategic development of such to the communication and application at individual level)
  • People (through supporting and driving change in behaviour at organisational, team and individual level)
  • Structures (ensuring that the system is organised to deliver and be managed in such a way as to achieve the organisational purpose – form follows function. That individual roles are defined to fulfil this purpose – and that individuals are able to understand the learning, training and development necessary to fulfil these roles and to progress)
  • Processes (leading and supporting the continuous improvement of services against agreed organisational purpose and targets)
  • Policies and procedures (people related policies and procedures are aligned to organisational purpose, are communicated appropriately, are applied consistently and equitably and are reviewed in line with change)

We can identify where our individual roles and expertise fits with this approach. However it is crucial that the way in which we work is to support change and those undertaking change.

In order to support this approach we will behave as:

  • Coaches and internal consultants to our colleagues, the organisation and it’s partners
  • One team, cooperating and supporting our colleagues, the organisation and it’s partners
  • Learners, reflecting and developing from our own and others’ experiences
  • Listeners who are open to challenge and receptive to questions
  • Leaders willing to ‘take the mantle and model the way’
  • Collaborators bringing our professional expertise to support managers’ service knowledge
  • Rolemodels, upholding the reputation of our HR Directorate
  • Facilitators of change and organisational development

To achieve these we will:

  • Be loyal to our colleagues
  • Ensure our contribution adds value
  • Take risks based on our empowered sound judgement/professional knowledge
  • Take responsibility for identifying development needs and act on these
  • Prioritise workload agreed on organisational objectives
  • Act consistently
  • Be proactive as individuals and use our initiative
  • Work towards mutual respect and support
  • Meet regularly to reflect, share and learn
  • Ensure the partnership process
  • Act confidentially

The transformation of HR will be underpinned by service redesign to ensure that the change is sustainable.

Using sound policies and procedures for guidance, managers will have responsibility for performance management and staff development. Key to this change is the appropriate and focused development of individual managers’ competence based on assessed need. This will support managers’ capability and foster consistent interpretation and application. Opportunities for development will utilise the Knowledge and Skills Framework and blended learning including e-learning.

It is recognised that a wide range of manager experience, skills and knowledge currently exists across NHS Grampian. As a result, managers have varying requirements with regard to the level of support provided by the HR Directorate. Consequently, HR will continue to provide a flexible service to meet the day-to-day needs of their client group.

HR, however, cannot elicit the required changes in isolation and line managers will play a crucial role in the achievement of the objectives outlined in this strategy. The Managers’ Code of Conduct is attached at Annex 2.

Managers have the responsibility for all management activity related to their staff. Indeed as they are both the delivery vehicle for change and, along with the staff involved, the owners of the eventual outcome, line management will play a vital role in delivering this new People Strategy. This is because of the close relationship managers have with their employees; a level of day-to-day contact that provides the potential for deep understanding of employee attitudes, concerns and motivations. Line Managers have access to the information that can inform, guide and confirm the People strategy, policy development and business change of NHS Grampian.

It is a key function of the HR Directorate to ensure that the following areas of the manager’s role are addressed.

  • Skills – Managers are often promoted because they possess technical knowledge about their field of operations, rather than because of their operational people management skills. In order to perform at the required level it is therefore imperative that managers be equipped with the appropriate people management skills. Using the relevant performance management and development processes (for example Knowledge & Skills Framework), managers need to assess their abilities against the core management competencies then ensure that any skills gaps are identified and addressed.
  • Communication – Managers must clearly understand what their role in the organisation is, where they can get support if needed and why the People Strategy has been developed. Without this they will quickly feel disempowered and unable to meet the challenges.
  • Value – Line Managers need to be fully involved in developing and implementing this strategy to see that undertaking the broad remit of management responsibility for people management is of value to them, their employees and the organisation.

On supporting managers with these issues, it will become clear where the responsibility of HR and where the responsibility of the manager lies.

The “split” between the responsibilities of HR and those of the Line Manager can be viewed as a continuum (see diagram below); the more experienced the line manager, the less the dependence on support from HR in day-to-day people management issues. This enables HR to deliver what is of value from a professional expertise perspective whilst the line manager leads, manages and develops their team.

Fig 3: The “split” between the responsibilities of HR and those of the Line Manager can be viewed as a continuum

Implementation, Evaluation and Review

Underpinning plans for each functional area are attached as at Annex 1 to ensure this Strategy is turned into reality.

Progress will be reviewed against the objectives outlined in attached Action Plan on a regular basis and a written report to summarise progress will be devised and reported to the Staff Governance Committee for them to monitor progress at quarterly intervals throughout the year. We will also seek to further develop a suite of relevant Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in order to give a consistent and timely summary of our performance. We will look to develop, in partnership, a system of feedback in which the rest of the organisation can inform the HR Directorate how they perceive we are performing and any ideas they have which will improve our performance.

The content of this Strategy will be reviewed on a three yearly basis to ensure it continues to be fit for purpose and is based on evidence-based best practice.

ANNEX 1:ACTION PLAN

3.1Corporate Health and Safety

The purpose of the Corporate Health and Safety functional area is to develop, guide and direct a strategic approach to the management of health and safety across the whole of NHS Grampian.

The aim of the function is to ensure that our staff, patients/carers and any other persons who might potentially be adversely affected by our operational activities, are afforded the highest levels of health and safety protection that are reasonably practicable.

It is envisaged that this will be achieved through effective partnership working with our stakeholders, both within and external to NHS Grampian. A clear strategic system for practical health and safety management will be driven throughout the organisation, along with a clear direction to inform and communicate health and safety more efficiently, in order that the foundations of a positive health and safety culture might be realised.

Principles:-

  • Culture: NHSG will build on and enhance a positive health and safety culture – where health and safety is very much viewed as an integral part of operational management within NHSG, and not as an optional extra;
  • Policies: NHSG will attempt to make the overall health and safety policy framework within NHSG clearer, more meaningful and easier to manage, will be an area on which Corporate Health and Safety will aim to prioritise;
  • Training: NHSG considers the development of staff, across all levels of the organisation is paramount to the effective implementation of any health and safety management system. As a core dimension of KSF, ensuring that the training offered is appropriate, and meets the relevant statutory obligations/mandatory requirements of NHSG, as well as ensuring that managers are aware that they need to identify any job specific health and safety training that may not necessarily be identified or organised centrally, is a further key area for consideration;
  • Communication: Communicating health and safety information is a challenge for large multifunctional organisations such as NHS Grampian, due to the diversity of its operations. The process the organisation uses in getting the messages of Board policies, informationandgeneraladvicetoemployeesworking across NHSG will be assessed and evaluated as a priority; and
  • Integration: NHSG will look towards closer, more integrated, health and safety services as an organisational must for NHSG. With the current financial climate within which NHSG must operate, drawing budgets every more tightly, NHSG must look at smarter working with a joined-up approach to tacking the management of health and safety.

No. / Strategic Objectives / Timescale / Responsibility
1 / Management and Staff working in partnership to develop and sustain a Corporate Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee structure that will afford effective and meaningful consultation.
Strategic Theme:- Involving patients, public, staff and partners towards mutuality / 2009 / Head of Health and Safety (in conjunction with staff-side colleagues)
2 / Senior Executives have an informed command of health and safety, enabling them to effectively direct and influence staff and patient safety and wellbeing.
Strategic Theme:- Developing the workforce and empowering staff / 2009 / Head of Health and Safety
3 / Develop a Corporate Health and Safety Strategy for NHS Grampian.
Strategic Theme:- Improving efficiency, productivity and sustainability / 2010 / Head of Health and Safety (in conjunction with other H&S stakeholders)

Summary of Next Steps