NHS GRAMPIAN

Minute of the Grampian Area Partnership Forum (GAPF)

held on Thursday 30 October 2014 at 2.00pm

in Seminar Room A, Clerkseat, Royal Cornhill Hospital

Present:

Richard Carey, Chief Executive (Chairperson)

Sharon Duncan, Staff Side Chair/Employee Director

Gemma Barclay, SOR

Jim Clark, GMB

Jane Fletcher, AHP Lead - Mental Health & Learning Disabilities

Alistair Grant, RCN

Bill Howatson, Board Chairman

Annie Ingram, Director of Workforce

Liz Laing, BAOT (shadowing)

Gerry Lawrie, Staff Governance Manager

Steven Lindsay, Unite

Martin McKay, UNISON

Deirdre McIntyre, SOCAP

Judith McLenan, Business Manager, Mental Health and Learning Disabilities

Sandra-Dee Masson BAOT

Gary Mortimer, General Manager, Facilities

Clark Paterson, Group Finance Manager

Sandy Reid, Senior Service Manager

Anne Ross, Head of Performance and Quality

David Tosh, Divisional Lead Nurse

Joan Anderson, Partnership Support Officer

Item / Subject / Action /
1 / Apologies
Apologies were received from Kirsten Sawers, RCM (no deputy); Fergus McKiddie, HPA (no deputy); Ian Francis, CSP (no deputy available); Alan Gray, Director of Finance (Clark Paterson deputised), Adam Coldwells, Chief Officer, Aberdeenshire; Keith Thomson, Head of Health and Safety (no deputy), Mike Adams, UCATT (no deputy available); Alison Hardy, Clinical Nurse Manager (David Tosh deputised); Eileen Grant, GHP (no deputy); Laura Gray, Communications Director (no deputy);Terry Mackie, Staff Governance Committee; Mike Scott, Staff Governance Committee; Mike Ogg, General Manager (no video conference facilities available);George McLean, Interim Business Manager, Moray (no video conference facilities available); Susan Coull, Head of HR; Philip Shipman, HR Manager; Pauline Strachan, Chief Operating Officer.
2 / Minute of Last Meeting held on 29 August 2014
The minute of the last meeting held on 29 August 2014 was approved.
The meeting arranged for 17 September 2014 was cancelled.
3 / Matters Arising
None.
4 / Presentation from Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Sector
Richard Carey reported that the morning GAPF Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Away Day had been a success. It had shown exemplary Partnership working and that everyone should be reminded of all the good work that is ongoing across the Organisation.
A report had been circulated previously and most issues on it had been discussed at the morning event.
Site safety and car parking developments were ongoing.
The Sector Partnership Forum had always worked well and succession planning was taken forward to ensure the level of Partnership input was maintained.
The main drive over the last year for the Partnership Forum had been communication. There had been face to face roadshows with staff to communicate all the issues that were ongoing and staff had valued these and asked for them to be continued.
A staff survey regarding issues which affect staff was also very successful in receiving a large number of returns and comments.
Another 20 new staff nurses had started who had recently graduated from Robert Gordons University.
A new process of communicating with students before they finished their studies had been set up to inform them of the opportunities available in Mental Health and Learning Disabilities in NHS Grampian for recruitment.
5 / Feedback on Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) Activity
The report on the HIS Review was due to be received by the Board by the next week. The Board would be asked to comment on the accuracy of the Report, with the final report due to be published in early December 2014.
When the report was published it was expected that the media would contact the Trade Unions and Professional Organisations for comments. It was noted that these organisations should be free to be open and honest with their views and comments.
It was expected that the recent Older People in Acute Hospitals visit would be included in the overall report.
There was discussion about the National Resource Allocation Committee funding (NRAC). There had been disparity in NHS Grampian for the last 20 years and would be 2017/18 before parity was reached.
There was also discussion on the high cost of living and economic bubble Grampian was affected by. Research commissioned by the joint public sector group was due to be received in December.
6 / Provided with a Continuously Improving and Safe Working Environment, Promoting the Health and Wellbeing of Staff, Patients and Wider Community
a. Staff Catering Facilities including Staff Fridges
An issue had arisen in Aberdeenshire regarding staff fridges. The Catering Manager had advised that fridges for staff to use where not allowed to be kept in staff dining rooms. This presented a problem in a number of areas as there was nowhere else to keep them or for staff to have breaks. This may be an issue in other Sectors as well.
It was noted that the organisation have a responsibility to provide facilities for staff but that staff also have a responsibility to look after these.
It was agreed that Gary Mortimer would discuss this further with Sandra-Dee Masson and Mike Ogg to find a solution and report back to GAPF.
b. Pool Cars
A paper had been circulated on pool cars as requested at the July GAPF.
The paper covered the organisations responsibilities towards pool cars and plans to rectify issues which had arisen with MOTs. It also highlighted the responsibilities of members of staff and further work that was ongoing.
c. Public Transport Mileage Rates
Sharon Duncan reported that if staff travel over 3500 miles in one year using their own car, they would be offered a leased car, unless there was a business reason why they could not be offered a leased car. If they turned down the leased car then the mileage rate of the member of staff would then reduce to public transport rate. This has been the policy for a long time. A new change to this is that this public transport rate would be fixed for the term of a leased car ie 4 years.
Managers and staff were asked to discuss mileage if it was thought that the member of staff would go over 3500 miles. If this was due to a temporary arrangement other ways of travel should be investigated eg a pool car.
Mileage rates were part of national terms and conditions and therefore not something that was negotiated locally.
It was noted that accepting a leased car was not compulsory, and staff should understand that accepting a leased car would affect their personal tax allowance. / GM/SDM/MO
7 / Treated Fairly and Consistently, with Dignity and Respect, in an environment where Diversity is Valued
a. Public Holidays 2015 to 2020
A new list of public holiday days for 2015 to 2020 was approved. These were in line with Aberdeen City Council local holidays.
These would be advertised to staff in Team Brief.
b. Policies for Approval
i. Special Leave
This policy was approved.
ii. Secondment
Some amendments to be made so this policy was withdrawn and would be presented to a future meeting.
iii. Fixed Term Contracts
Some amendments to be made so this policy was withdrawn and would be presented to a future meeting. / LG
8 / Well Informed
a. Finance Report
Clark Paterson explained that the Finance Report would be circulated soon. At the end of September 2014 there was an overspend of £2.6m. This was the trajectory that had been anticipated and it was expected that the financial position would improve in the second half of the year for a variety of reasons eg cost reduction plans being implemented.
There were some risks including work ongoing around waiting list targets, some savings plans still to be put into place and particular issues regarding medical staffing, consultant posts and medical locum costs. Despite these it was expected that NHS Grampian would break even by the end of the financial year.
Some major projects ongoing included back log maintenance at ARI. The East End was nearing completion and the first stage of Phase II would begin. Healthcare Acquired Infection (HAI) and Fire works were being carried out across NHS Grampian.
The new entrance to the Emergency Care Centre was now open. There was a new AROMA coffee shop at the entrance. The roof garden was not yet open.
b. Partnership Reports from Sectors
Facilities
Gary Mortimer reported on the financial position in the Sector and Partnership update. Work was ongoing in Partnership groups around the new Tobacco Policy. Lots of good work on smoking cessation had taken place with Laundry staff at Foresterhill and the manager was commended for this.
Aberdeen City
The return rate of the Staff Survey from Aberdeen City staff had been over 50% against a total return rate for NHS Grampian of 33%. This showed good staff engagement and the results would be considered once received.
A recruitment event was being organised for the Aberdeen Village to target the public who visited the different departments there. This would be similar to the recruitment event which had taken place in Union Square Shopping Centre recently. The types of posts to be targeted were mainly nursing assistants, domestic assistants and administrative staff.
Richard Carey thanked Heather Kelman who was due to retire early at the end of the year, for her huge contribution to NHS Grampian over 30 years, including her contribution to Partnership.
Mental Health and Learning Disabilities
Reported in item 4 above.
Acute
The Acute Sector GAPF Away Day will be held in the morning of 19 November 2014 in the Suttie Centre, Foresterhill. All GAPF members and Sector Reps were invited to attend.
Fergus McKiddie, Staff Side Co-Chair of the Sector Partnership Forum had tendered his resignation from the role. Fergus had been a member of the Partnership Forum for many years and was thanked for all his input into Partnership.
Car parking concerns had been raised by staff and someone had been invited along to the next meeting to discuss issues.
The group had discussed Datix reporting and all members of staff were encouraged to report any relevant concerns via the Datix reporting system.
No member of staff should be told not to record a Datix incident.
It was agreed that some education was required on the level of risk entered for an incident. If it was felt that the level of risk entered was incorrect, this could be discussed with the person involved and agreement could be reached to amend this.
Fire and Rescue Service audits across a wide range of inpatient areas at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and Aberdeen Maternity Hospital had been undertaken and an action plan would be developed.
The first Project Board meeting of the Womens Services and Cancer Unit had taken place that week.
Aberdeenshire
Sandra-Dee Masson reported that a workshop took place regarding the future of services within integration. Local groups were being set up. Partnership groups would continue to meet.
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* / Involved in Decisions
a. Integration Update/Corporate Diaries
A report had been circulated to update the group on integration. One of the most important things was to ensure that the overarching integration group was a Partnership one.
Sharon Duncan made a plea to everyone to check the Corporate Diary before setting up important meetings to ensure they did not clash with other important meetings and make attendance difficult. She also asked that Partnership input be requested early to ensure Partnership attendance at all meetings.
b. Nursing Resources Utilisation Implementation Group Update
Annie Ingram gave some background to this group and its work, which had been previously reported to GAPF.
Additional funding had been allocated to areas following a process to identify gaps at three separate meetings. A summary of this information would be shared and is attached to the minute.
The group continued to work on establishments and recruitment. They also covered e-rostering and were overseeing a business case. The group was looking into bank work and some work was going to be done on this to make them more effective.
Discussions had taken place with Robert Gordons University regarding the quality of students, mentoring and training. A staff development process was being considered.
12 hour shift review was also being taken forward by the group and the survey was being undertaken in Acute and would roll out to all sectors. Areas beginning to look at hybrid shifts.
It was asked that if there were any financial risks around moving away from 12 hour shifts these needed to be reported.
Work was also ongoing with the Universities regarding a “work while you study” project to encourage students to apply for jobs to find out more about what NHS Grampian could offer them in the future.
Richard Carey thanked the members of the group for the work they were undertaking. / AI
10 / GAPF Reports from Sectors and Sub-Groups
A paper was circulated with dates for Sector Partnership Forums and Sub-Groups to present to GAPF in 2015. This paper was approved. If any Sector wanted to change the date they were to negotiate with other areas.
11 / Any Other Competent Business
Annual Review – 17 November 2014
The GAPF meeting would be held at 12noon to 1pm in the Conference Room, Summerfield House. All GAPF Reps to confirm attendance to Joan Anderson.
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* / Workshop – GAPF Priorities
The NHS Grampian Board had asked GAPF and other Advisory Committees for what they thought their priorities should be for the next two years and what practical suggestions and actions for implementation would they suggest.
The group broke into three groups and discussed the priorities and then agreed as one group what to take forward to the next Board Seminar on 7 November (attached).
GAPF Representatives were invited to the Board meeting on 7 November to be involved in the discussions on these priorities. Names were gathered. / SD
13 / Communication to Organisation from GAPF
The following items were considered for communication to staff:
Public Holiday dates
Special Leave Policy
Pool Cars and the responsibilities for staff and managers
Priorities from the workshop
Nurse Resource Utilisation Implementation Group – positive message of the work of the group and a summary of the spend which was agreed.
14 / Date and Time of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on 2pm to 5pm on 17 November 2014 in Room 402, Conference Room, Suttie Centre, Foresterhill Site.
This meeting would be preceded by the Acute Sector GAPF Away Day from 9.30am to 1pm also in Room 402, Conference Room, Suttie Centre, Foresterhill.

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Telephone: (01224) 558459

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