South of Tyneand Wear Primary Care Organisations
Integrated Consultative Group
Notes of the meeting held on 17 April 2007
Present:Vicki Taylor, Director of HR and OD
Janet Downie, Amicus, Sunderland TPCT
Sue Taylor, Head of HR
Alison McNally, Unison, South Tyneside PCT
Richard Atkinson, RCN, South Tyneside PCT
Michelle McGuigan, Head of OD
Chris Macklin, Director of Finance
Carolyn Taylor, Amicus, South Tyneside PCT
Kirstie Harris-Parker, SCP, Gateshead
Lucy Goy, Unison/BAOT, Gateshead PCT
Diane Wilkinson, AMICUS, Gateshead
Roger Nettleship, UNISON, South Tyneside PCT
Steve Holmes, SCP, South Tyneside
Kelvyn Petrie, UNISON, Gateshead
Norma Harris, Director of Governance & Corporate Development
Gill Lambert, HR Manager
Sonia Atkinson, HR Manager
Anne-Marie Szczesniak, UNISON Sunderland
Jan Forster, Director of Policy/Associate Director Primary Care
Bev Atkinson, Director of Provider Development
Caroline Wild, Head pf Patient Involvement
Denise McLaughlin, RCN Gateshead
Rita Bishop, UNISON, Gateshead
Janette Nayak, BDA, Sunderland
1.Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from Mark Tull, Karen Straughair,Marion Langley,Mark Ryan-Daly, David Hambleton, Richard Barker, Judy Thomas,Ken Richardson,Alison McDonald.
Introductions were made as there were new faces at the table.
Norma Harris chaired the meeting. Norma explained that this would not be a formal meeting and that it had been agreed that we would use this meeting to reflect upon our progress with the restructuring process and the implementation of the integrated managementarrangements. We set ourselves an ambitious timetable and all staff have now been through round 1 of the recruitment process and we would use this meeting to discuss the next steps in the process.
- Notes of previous meetings
The notes of the meeting held on 27 March 2007were agreed subject to the following amendments:
Item 3.6 - should read
Health & Safety
Vicki Taylor reported that she had asked Gordon Murphy to include staff side representatives in discussions about the approach to integrated health and safety provision
Item 3.7 – should read ‘’
Drug and Alcohol Team
Vicki Taylor reported that Mark Tull, Debbie Burnicle and herself had exchanged emails about this issue and we are pursuing our understanding of changes resulting from commissioning decisions and the way we would manage the impact of these on our staff.
Page 4 2nd paragraph should read
Roger Nettleship raised a concern regarding the Graphics Department and a collective grievance which had been submitted by UNISON. During discussion, it was noted that Norma Harris had met with the team on a number of occasions who had put forward their views and an additional post had been added to the structure. Ruth McKeown had also met with the team and listened to their concerns. It was her understanding that they were considering the development of a social enterprise as well as applying for other posts. Discussion on this issue had also taken place within ICG. It was agreed that further discussion would need to take place about this matter.
- Matters Arising
3.1Health Visitor Pay
Sue Taylor reported that she had drafted a paper following the meeting held with AFC leads but staff side had not yet seen this. It was agreed that Sue would share the paper with AFC leads after the meeting, who would then forward comments to Sue. This matter could then be agreed and finalised at the next ICG meeting in June.
There was a suggestion from Carolyn Taylor that there was still some misunderstanding from Health Visitors taking up posts in September 2007 and what salary scale they would be paid. Sue agreed to confirm this again but was of the clear understanding that this was now resolved and interview panels were informing potential candidates of our policy in relation to pay. Bev Atkinson confirmed this understanding.
…………………….
3.2No Smoking
Norma Harris requested that her directorate be involved in discussions about the no smoking legislation which was effective from 1 July 2007. It was agreed that Ruth McKeown would lead on this piece of work.
AGREED:Ruth McKeown to lead on implementing the No Smoking legislation RMcK
- Integrated Management Arrangements
Karen Straughair reported that there were currently approximately 2500 interviews taking place to implement the restructuring arrangements. This was a major but very important project requiring significant management input but also recognising the impact it is having on affected staff.
Vicki Taylor reported that the interviews for tier 3 were finalised, interviews for tier 4 had begun and interviews for tier 5 would begin the following week.
Staff in Tier 3 would be informed of the interview outcomes later that day. A number of staff had applied only for posts higher than their own band with no fall-back position during this first round. The Trust would be working with those staff at risk to look at their options and the numbers of at risk staff were expected to go down significantly over the coming weeks.
During discussion, Staff Side expressed concern at the numbers of staff at risk and requested the figures on those staff displaced at their own band. Vicki Taylor responded that Directors were applying appropriate benchmarks to people’s ability to do the jobs and decisions were being taken after serious consideration. Vicki Taylor confirmed that both she and Sue Taylor had spent considerable time monitoring the process.
Staff Side claimed to have evidence that competent people were not being appointed, that development plans should be put in place to allow appointments to be made and that some of the skills being sought would be scarce throughout the country. Furthermore that if people were not being appointed to their same band that they felt that this was being used as an alternative to dealing with performance issues. Vicki Taylor confirmed that Central Team also had some concerns at the numbers at risk and there was now a need to carefully analyse the process. Karen Straughair stated that if any individuals felt the process had been truly unfair, management would look into it. Also that people who were not appointed had not demonstrated the appropriate competencies for the posts in the new structure.
Michelle McGuigan informed members that at the end of the Strategic Health Authority process there were 92 people at risk however there were only 10 eventual redundancies. This highlighted that there was a lot more to be done for people to help them. Karen Straughair confirmed that the figures were higher than expected however there could be no compromise with appointments.
Vicki Taylor agreed that consideration would be made to inform Staff Side of those staff at risk. She also confirmed that the interviews for higher level posts had included an unseen written paper test to provide additional information to interview panels and to ensure a robust process of selection. It was agreed that such written papers were only to be used where appropriate and at the right level.
ACTION:Email to Directors advising on the use of the unseen written paper as part of the selection process VT
Norma Harris reported that a paper had gone to the March Board and she apologised that this information had missed the Chief Executive’s Bulletin. The next task was to arrange for the moves to take place whilst recognising and handling sensitivities around staff who were at risk and who did not as yet know the outcome of the process. Staff Side requested involvement with the discussions on locations and this was agreed.
ACTION:Staff Side to send names to Norma Harris Staff Side
Carolyn Taylor enquired about the handover period and Vicki Taylor confirmed that each Director was completing a transitional strategy which Central Team would be discussing.
Roger Nettleship raised a concern regarding the Graphics Department. During discussion, it was noted that Norma Harris had met with the team on a number of occasions who had put forward their views and an additional post had been added to the structure. Ruth McKeown had also met with the team and listened to their concerns. It was her understanding that they were considering the development of a social enterprise as well as applying for other posts. Discussion on this issue had also taken place within ICG.
Vicki Taylor summarised that managers had listened to the concerns raised and these had been addressed. Vicki proposed further discussion outside of the meeting to address concerns in an appropriate way.
ACTION:Discussion to address concernsVT/RN
4.1Excess Travel
Sue Taylor tabled a document which proposed the handling of excess travel and it was agreed that formal discussion would take place at the next meeting.
ACTION:Comments to Sue Taylor ALL
- FHS Review
Vicki Taylor reported that Michelle McGuigan and Sonia Atkinson were organising a local group to take this forward. Karen Straughair confirmed that, following Bob Smith’s retirement, Gordon Straughan had been released from his secondment in Northumberland to undertake the FHS Project Director role until an appointment was made. A regular update would be provided by Sonia Atkinson.
ACTION:Regular bullet point update SA
- Staff Side Release
Vicki Taylor informed members that the list was being updated and a paper would be tabled at the next meeting. During discussion it was recognised that Staff Side wished to be involved but release was a problem for them. It was agreed that it was important to prioritise areas for Staff Side release.
Due to the transfer of the Estates staff into the TPCT a representative from an appropriate Trade union should be invited to join the ICG.
ACTION:Invitation to be extendedto new staff side representativeST
- Proposed Policy Integration Arrangements
Vicki Taylor reported that Michelle McGuigan was looking at reviewing the appraisal policies and it was yet to be decided whether there would be 1 policy or 3 separate policies with the same process. It was suggested and agreed that an Integrated Policy Group would need to be established which would consider policies in order of priority, for example Appraisal and Personal development, Recruitment and Selection, Disciplinary and Grievance. Staff Side were invited to join the Group.
ACTION:Establishment of Integrated Policy GroupVT/ST
- Staff Survey 2006/07
Carrol Martin presented a summary of the findings from the NHS National Staff Survey 2006. This covered the 3 PCTs and considered the overall broad themes - good practice, areas for development and hot spots. Carrol tabled the presentation.
During discussion it was recognised that there was more work required to look into significant changes in each of the PCTs however that there was a need for a strategic approach across South of Tyne and Wear.
Karen Straughair was keen to hear staff views on the survey findings and it was agreed that Carrol Martin would present the findings to staff at the next Chief Executive Sessions.
ACTION:Presentation to staff at Chief Executive Session on 17/4/07CM
ACTION:Article in Chief Executive’s BulletinVT
- Infection Control – contractual requirements
Vicki Taylor reported that there was a need to ensure all staff were aware of their personal responsibility for infection control. A form of words would be proposed which could then be communicated to staff via Chief Executive’s bulletin, Team Brief etc and as part of the appraisal process, rather than incorporated into all job descriptions.
Staff Side agreed as there was a reasonable expectation for staff to comply.
ACTION:Communicate infection control issues to all staff VT
- Any Other Business
ESR - Vicki Taylor reported that all three PCTs had passed Readiness Assessment 3 and been commended on the work which had been done. User testing was now being undertaken and there was a Programme Board meeting next week. There had been some problems identified at South Tyneside which meant payroll would need to be dual-run.
- Date and time of next meeting
The next meeting would be held on Tuesday 15 May 2007 at 10.15 am at the Quality Hotel, Boldon.
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