Discretionary Points -September 2016

Lothian NHS Board


Waverley Gate

2-4 Waterloo Place

Edinburgh

EH1 3EG

Telephone: 0131 536 9000


Discretionary Points -September 2016

Ginger Redford


Date:27/09/2016

Your Ref:

Our Ref:1094

Enquiries to:Richard Mutch

Extension:35676

Direct Line:0131 465 5687


Discretionary Points -September 2016

Dear Ms Redford

Freedom of information –discretionary points

I write in response to your request for information in relation discretionary points allocated to consultants.

I have been provided with information to help answer your request by the Human Resources Department of NHS Lothian.

The undernoted information covers the discretionary points allocation process between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2015. The 2016 allocation process is currently on-going therefore figures are not available at the current time.

Question:

  1. The number of consultants awarded discretionary points in each of the past 5 years.

Answer:

Year / Number of Consultants
2011 / 179
2012 / 185
2013 / 193
2014 / 213
2015 / 222

Question:

  1. A breakdown of the figures by gender, speciality and contractual status (full-time or LTFT)

Answer:

Gender:

2011 / 2012 / 2013 / 2014 / 2015
Male / 110 / 117 / 126 / 125 / 145
Female / 69 / 68 / 67 / 88 / 77

Contractual Status:

2011 / 2012 / 2013 / 2014 / 2015
Whole-Time / Not Available / Not Available / 176 / 188 / 201
Part-time / 17 / 25 / 21
Please note Contractual Status data for the years 2011 and 2012 is not available as this was not recorded at this time. A breakdown by speciality is also not available as there is no requirement to record this data.

Question:

  1. A description of the process for applying for discretionary points, assessing applications and making awards, including any relevant policy papers or guidance notes,

Answer:

Please find attached copy of NHS Lothian’s Discretionary Points Policy and Procedure.

Question:

  1. Demonstrate how the process complies with the Equality Act to ensure that subgroups of the consultant workforce are not disadvantaged.

Answer:

Following completion of the annual discretionary points allocation process a comparative data report is compiled to ensure the process was carried out in line with the Equality Act. Please find attached a copy of NHS Lothian 2015 Equal Opportunities Comparative Data Report for information.

I hope the information provided answers your request.

If you are unhappy with our response to your request, you do have the right to request us to review it. Your request should be made within 40 working days of receipt of this letter, and we will reply within 20 working days of receipt. If our decision is unchanged following a review and you remain dissatisfied with this, you then have the right to make a formal complaint to the Scottish Information Commissioner within 6 months of receipt of our Review response. You then have the option to proceed to the Court of Sessions if dissatisfied with the Commissioners decision.

If you require a review of our decision to be carried out, please write to the FOI Reviewer at the address at the head of this letter. The review will be undertaken by a Reviewer who was not involved in the original decision-making process.

FOI responses (subject to redaction of personal information) may appear on NHS Lothian’s Freedom of Information website at:


Discretionary Points -September 2016

Yours sincerely

Professor alex Mcmahon

Executive Director, Nursing,

Midwifery and AHP's

Cc: Chief Executive