Minutes of the Argyll and Bute CHP Partnership Forum

Argyll & Bute CHP Committee

26th July 2007

Item No: 14.3

Minutes of the Argyll and Bute CHP Partnership Forum

Background and Summary

The Argyll and Bute CHP Partnership forum has a membership of staff representatives and managers from across the CHP. It is chaired, in turn, by the CHP General Manager and the Staff side chair appointed by staff representatives.

The Partnership Forum meets monthly.

Main part of paper

Agenda items are submitted by the co-chairs, managers or staff representatives, and includes, particularly, items which relate to service changes, staff communications, and employee relations.

Contribution to Board Objectives

The agenda of the Partnership forum is informed by the NHS Highland Objectives and the NHS Highland Workforce plan, particularly as it relates to Argyll and Bute, the CHP Delivering for Health Action Plan, and other planning documents are tabled for discussion.

Governance Implications

Describe impact on all the relevant Governance Standards

Staff Governance - Supports the CHP commitment to Staff governance standards
Patient Focus and Public Involvement - provides communication channel for staff and thereby supports patient focus and Public involvement.
Clinical Governance - Partnership supports adherence to high standards of Clinical governance.
Financial Impact - Partnership working provides a constructive forum to resolve employee relations issues.

Impact Assessment

The Partnership Forum relates to all staff in the CHP and through the NHS Highland Area Partnership Forum, all NHS Highland Staff.

NHS HIGHLAND / Human Resources Department
Aros
Lochgilphead
Argyll
PA31 8LB
MINUTE OF MEETING OF THE ARGYLL
& BUTE CHP PARTNERSHIP FORUM
Board Room, Aros,
Lochgilphead / 12 July 2007 : 1.00 pm
Present / Ms Fiona Ritchie, Argyll & Bute CHP General Manager - Chair
Ms Gaye Boyd, Senior HR Advisor
Ms Angela Dewsnap, Senior HR Advisor
Ms Liz McMillan, Unison
Mr David Logue, CHP HR Manager
Ms Lorna Low, RCM
Ms Lorraine Gilchrist, Support Services Manager – Rep David Whiteoak
Ms Linda McMillan – Rep Viv Smith
Mr Brian Mearns, HR Advisor
Ms Helen Duthie, Unison
Ms Anne Gent, HR Director
Mr Philip Walker, Head of Personnel
Ms Judith McKelvie, Head of Learning and Development
Ms Pam Cremin, Workforce Planning Manager
Ms Jean Kennedy, Unite
Ms Pat Tyrrell, Lead Nurse
Mr Stephen Whiston, Head of Planning, Contracting and Performance
Ms Caroline Parr, Partnership Officer
In Attendance Mrs Kirstin Walker, Senior HR Administrator – Minute Secretary
Item 1 Welcome and Introduction
The Chair welcomed, and thanked everyone for coming to the meeting, especially to those who had travelled from Inverness. The meeting was not quorate.
Item 2 Apologies
Apologies for absence were received from;
Mr John Barnett, Clinical Services Manager
Ms Alana Straughan, Clinical Services Manager
Ms Viv Smith, Locality Manager Cowal and Bute
Mr Robert Smylie, Unison
Mr George Morrison, Head of Finance
Ms Hilary Brown, Clinical Services Manager
Ms Dawn Gillies, Unison
Ms Anne Helstrip, Locality Manager, Helensburgh & Lochside
Mr John Dreghorn, Locality Manager, Mid Argyll, Kintyre and Islay
Mr Douglas Philand, Amicus
Ms Sally Munro, KSF Facilitator
Ms Theresa Jordan
Ms Josephine Bown, Head of Service Integration
Mr Donnie Cameron, Clinical Services Manager
Mr Ray Stewart, Employee Director
Ms Joyce Oxborrow, RCM;
Mr Peter McCallum, CSP;
Mr Dougie McDougall, RCN;
Ms Kate Cameron, RCN,
Mr John Barnett, Clinical Services Manager – Mental Health;
Ms Kath Grunewald, Unison;
Mr David Whiteoak, Locality Manager Oban Lorn and the Isles;
Ms Veronica Kennedy, Clinical Services Manager – Lorn and Islands Hospital;
Ms Kate MacAulay, RCN; / Actions
Item 3 Minutes from Previous Meeting 7 June 2007
The minutes of June were agreed as an accurate record, however, they could not be approved due to the meeting not being quorate.
Item 4 Actions from Previous Meeting
4.1 – 12 hour shift costings : this action has been completed.
4.2 –Permanent Night Shift : there is a policy covering Raigmore Hospital only. This needs to be reviewed and updated and will then be agreed thought the Partnership Forum for NHS Highland wide working.
4.3 – Harmonisation of IT Policies : Angela Dewsnap raised this issue at the harmonisation group meeting. The IT contact is Bill Reid and it was identified that each policy will need to be harmonised. Fiona Ritchie stated that the harmonisation of HR policies has a robust mechanism and would want this approach to follow for IT policies. Anne Gent will liaise with Heidi May for a progress report.
4.4 – Staff Lottery Funds : this action has been completed.
4.5 – Admin Review : the review is underway and when the reports have been approved, they will be provided to staff side.
5.2 – Pay Cut Off Dates : all dates are now synchronised throughout the CHP. This item will be kept on Agenda until September as planned previously.
6.1 – Admin Review : this has not been done. Kirstin Walker to provide David Whiteoak with the Terms of Reference of the Argyll and Bute Review Group.
7.1 – Merging Appin and Taynuilt Community Nursing Teams : this is ongoing.
9.1 – NiCHE : this action has been completed and Harry Nichol will attend in August.
11.1 – Agenda for Change : there is a process for re-profiling assimilated posts. Anne Gent will clarify if guidance is in place regarding the level of changes that would result in a re-profiled post.
12.1 – KSF : David Logue identified that there were issues surrounding the acceptance of KSF. Where managers received a response regarding submissions, this would assist in identify where there are gaps in the figures.
13 – Jeannie Deans Unit : The Cabinet Secretary has still to make a final decision regarding the Jeannie Deans Unit. Until this is made, no progress can be made. It was highlighted that the patients are now in a more appropriate setting. Stephen Whiston is producing a paper to be presented at the Core Management Team regarding the future of the Victoria Site, Helensburgh; and it was also identified that a bid will be made to move the plan forward.
13.2 – Jeannie Deans Unit : David Logue will try to obtain agreement with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and West Dunbartonshire CHP to place staff who are displaced into these areas. A meeting has been arranged for August in an attempt to progress this issue.
15.1 – Sickness Absence Action Plan : Brian Mearns provided a summary of research undertaken into any links between absence and long shift working. It was identified that, according to research undertaken by the Health and Safety executive, that night shifts should be limited to 4 per week, with a 2 day break following any period of night shift. Further, back to back shifts should be minimised and rotation should be forward, not backward. Occupational Health recommend using the fatigue and risk index to identify if shift patterns are optimal. Brian Mearns will provide a summary on the research undertaken for the Forum.
16.1 – Terms of Reference : Viv Smith is to review this.
18.1 – Minute of Facilities Management Head of Department Meeting : Invite Jim Dempsey to attend the September meeting.
21.1 Staff Lottery Funding : this action has been completed and was agreed. Clarity is to be sought from George Morrison as to whether the funds accrue interest. / 4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
Item 5Staff Governance Standards Update
NHS Scotland have provided an update on the Staff Governance Standards which can be found on
The Forum noted the paper and the current position.
Item 6Annual Review
Stephen Whiston spoke to a previously circulated paper and indicated that all Boards are subject to this review. It was highlighted that each board had to respond to a self assessment form which is related tot eh Corporate Objectives. The Annual Review is a public dialogue between the minister, the Chairman, and occasionally patients. The review will be held in Inverness, but Video Conferencing facilities will be available in Lochgilphead.
The Forum noted the purpose of the Annual Review.
Item 7 Admin Services Review
This is ongoing.
Item 8 Local Induction Update
David Logue spoke to a previously circulated paper indicate thatThe Local Induction has been introduced as there was no common approach to induct new staff. A checklist has been presented as a model for Managers and staff to engage over the course of the first week in post. This Local Induction compliments the mandatory Corporate Induction which is run every 6 weeks.
The documents are being sent to all recruiting managers and will be kept in local Personnel files. The return slip is to be returned to HR for monitoring.
A concern was raised surrounding the Health and Safety aspect. As a result, an audit will be carried out by HR and Paul Maber 3 months into the inductions to identify if there are any areas that are causing concern. / 8.1
The Forum noted the paper and the checklist. The forum also welcome the results of the Audit of the first 3 months.
Item 9 Review of Nursing in the Community
This item will be picked up in the August Meeting.
Item 10 Sickness Absence Update
David Logue spoke to a previously circulated paper and indicated that the target for sickness absence has been set at 4% to be reached by 31 March 2008. It was indicated that the Argyll and Bute CHP currently have a higher sickness absence rate than NHS Highland.
Workshops are currently being run in order to familiarise managers of procedures surrounding absence and provide them with guidance notes.
The harmonisation group are currently working on harmonising the Attendance Management policy.
The Forum noted the paper and the current work currently being undertaken.
Item 11 Nursing and Midwifery Workload
This item will be picked up in the August Meeting.
Item 12 NHS Highland Corporate Objectives
Fiona Ritchie spoke to a previously circulated paper and indicated that these objectives are delegated through her Direct Reports.
Anne Gent indicated that the objectives are split into 2:

Outcome focussed objectives
Supporting/enabling objectives

These objectives also cover the HEAT and sickness targets, alongside workforce information/planning.
The Forum noted the Objectives.
Item 13 Workforce Planning Project
Pam Cremin spoke to the previously circulated workforce plan and extended her thanks to the hard work put into this by David Logue and Pat Tyrrell. An Action Plan has been developed and Pam Cremin will continue to work closely with David Logue and Pat Tyrrell in order to keep this action plan live and specific.
The Forum noted the workforce plan and extended their thanks for the hard work put into compiling it.
Item 14 Joint Staff Forum
David Logue spoke to a previously circulated paper and indicated that the Argyll and Bute Council and the Argyll and Bute CHP have a staff forum which meet quarterly to discuss Joint Future issues. An opportunity is available for staff side to attend these meetings.
The Joint Staff Protocol was produced by David Logue and Bridget Hunter and it has been agreed through the Joint Future Implementation Group. It was felt that the Protocol should have the logos of both NHS Highland and Argyll and Bute Council. The Protocol promotes good practice and that the formality of the document was necessary to ensure this. K Walker to check the minutes of the Joint Strategic Partnership Group to ascertain whether the Protocol has been agreed and approved. / 14.1
14.2
The Forum noted the paper and seek guidance on the status of the protocol.
Item 15 e-HR Systems and Workforce Information
Philip Walker outlined the options surrounding the Business Case for an e-HR system which are:

An electronic staff record system similar to that used in NHS England and Wales
An electronic staff record system with only the HR element similar to that used in NHS England and Wales, and a payroll interface
Separate HR system and interface with Payroll

Currently, SWISS is used and is fed by payroll data and direct input.
The timetable for migration to a new system is tight, with pilots scheduled to be run from late 2008.
There is an urgent need to improve the data capture systems, especially surrounding the Commission of Racial Equalities requirements. The NHS is not meeting the standards set. The Equality Monitoring Surveys sent out to staff are essential to the data capture and compliance with the CRE requirements.
The Forum note the current situation.
Item 16 Agenda for Change
David Logue spoke to a previously circulated paper and conveyed that there are still issues to be resolved surrounding assimilation and arrears. Argyll and Bute CHP need to have a commitment from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde that progress is being made. Anne Gent has written to the Director of HR for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and is awaiting on a response. A response is sought by Friday 20 July 2007 and a report will be made to the next Partnership Forum in August.
The Forum noted the anxiety surrounding Agenda for change and look forward to receiving feedback at the next meeting.
Item 17 KSF
Gaye Boyd spoke to a previously circulated paper and indicated that progress has been made, but the targets have not been met. Learning and Development have been assisting Managers and providing training to complete the KSF outlines.
The figures attached to the report are to be shown as percentages and amended to provide a clearer picture. The KSF outlines are required to be completed by July 2007.
Judith McKelvie offered to assist in this issue. / 17.1
17.2
The Forum noted the paper and sought a clearer picture surrounding outlines received.
Item 18 Minute of Pay Modernisation Board
This paper was not received. It will be circulated when finalised.
Item 19 AOCB
19.1 Flying Start Roadshow
The flyer was noted and Managers are to remind staff regarding attendance if required.
19.2OU Student Nurses
David Logue and Pat Tyrrell to review the level of support provided for OU students and the length of time off they are entitled to.
19.3Agenda for Change
Staff Side raised the issue of AFC reviews being held in Inverness and the difficulty this incurs for staff to travel on a regular basis to these review panels. Anne Gent will obtain further information from Donald Shiach regarding these panels. / 19.1
19.2
Item 20
Date, Time and Venue of Next Meeting
The next meeting will take place on 16 August 2007 at 1.00 pm in the Boardroom at Aros.

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