CKWCB-12-191_CKW_Cluster_Workforce_report_-_June_July_2012_data_17Sept12

Agenda Item:16 Enclosure: CKWCB/12/191 DATE OF MEETING:

Category of Paper Tick()

Paper Title:

Decision and Approval

Workforce Report

Position statement

Responsible Director:

Discussion

June Goodson-Moore, Executive Director of Workforce & Corporate Development

Information

Paper Author:

FOI Status:

Laura Smith, Assistant Director of Workforce

Open

Executive Summary:

This report provides the Board with progress headlines associated with workforce metrics and with people transition to the new NHS commissioning system.



Key points to note this month are:

Outcome of Equality Impact Assessment:

Sub Group/Committee: Recommendation (s):

•

Workforce numbers across the Cluster continue to fall, although at a much slower pace than in 2011/12.

•

Sickness levels remain higher than in 2011/12; however concerted sickness management has seen sickness absence fall to its lowest level since January 2012.

•

CCGs and the CSU have consulted on their draft organisational structures

•

The Filling of Posts process is due to commence on 24 September 2012, with employees being “pooled and matched” to new organisational structures

•

The Cluster has a number of measures in place to help ensure that staff are supported and engaged throughout the process of organisational change.

Equality Impact Assessments will be carried out as required on relevant processes, for example an EIA would be carried out on any required voluntary redundancy scheme RTSC, SMTs The Board is asked to NOTE the content of this report

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1.0

2.0

3.0

Purpose of Report 1.1

To provide the Board with an update on recent progress and actions related to People Transition.

1.2

To provide the Board with key metrics related to the Cluster workforce.

1.3

The Board is asked to receive and note the information contained in this report.

Background 2.1

As the transition to new NHS commissioning structures and the associated closure of PCTs approaches, the Board has requested a regular workforce update containing headlines on people transition and key workforce metrics.

2.2

The work on people transition is extremely complex, involving all 3 CKW Cluster PCTs, partner PCTs in the Airedale, Bradford and Leeds Cluster; and a broad range of receiving organisations; including a large number of brand new organisations to be set up.

2.3

All people transition work is subject to the ongoing release of national guidance and direction, which can and does significantly alter the course of plans.

2.4

In addition to the large volume of people transition work; the Cluster is mindful that there may be a requirement to reduce the size of its workforce.

2.5

During times of organisational change and transition, it is more important than ever to monitor key workforce metrics, particularly sickness absence levels and employee numbers.

People Transition Headlines 3.1

Clinical Commissioning Groups

3.1.1 National assessment / accreditation centres for CCG Clinical Chairs, Accountable Officers and Chief Finance Officers are almost complete. Following on from this; the following appointments have been confirmed on a designate basis: CCG Calderdale CCG

Role Designate Chief Officer

Designate appointee Dr Matt Walsh

Calderdale CCG & Greater Huddersfield CCG Greater Huddersfield CCG

Designate Joint Chief Finance Officer Designate Chief Officer

Julie Lawreniuk

North Kirklees CCG

Designate Chief Officer

tbc

Wakefield CCG

Designate Chief Finance Officer Designate Chief Officer

Steve Brennan Jo Webster

Designate Chief Finance Officer

Andrew Pepper

Carol McKenna

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3.1.2 The North Kirklees CCG Designate Chief Officer role is due to be appointed to on 21 September 2012.

3.1.3 Recruitment to other CCG Governing Body roles, including the Secondary Care Consultant, Registered Nurse, and lay members is also progressing, with appointments due to be made in the autumn.

3.1.4 The CCGs have developed their proposed full organisational structures, which were released for consultation with staff on 30 July 2012. Staff have been encouraged to submit comments, queries and suggestions about the structures during August. The CCGs intend to have finalised their structures by early September 2012, in anticipation of pooling and matching panels commencing in the week of 24 September 2012.

3.2

West Yorkshire CSU 3.2.1 In mid August 2012, Alison Hughes was confirmed by the NHS Commissioning Board as the Designate Managing Director for the West Yorkshire Commissioning Support Unit (please note that the national language has shifted back to commissioning support unit from commissioning support services).

3.2.2 Following detailed conversations with CCGs across West Yorkshire, the CSU developed its draft organisational structure for consultation with staff, launching the draft structures on 22 August 2012. The closing date for queries, comments and suggestions is Wednesday 12 September 2012, with the CSU anticipating that pooling and matching panels for its functions will commence during week commencing 24 September 2012.

3.3

Consultation with employees whose functions will transfer to CCGs or the CSU 3.3.1 On 6 August 2012, all 5 PCTs across West Yorkshire opened formal transfer consultation with employees working in functions scheduled to transfer to CCGs or the CSU. The consultation opened by way of a formal letter to each member of staff; and letters sent to the recognised Trade Unions.

3.3.2 Formal consultation with employees working in functions due to transfer to other receiver organisations, including Local Authorities, NHS Property Services and the NHS Commissioning Board will take place separately.

3.4

Filling of Posts Policy & Process 3.4.1 Following Chair’s approval in early August 2012, the CKW/ABL Filling of Posts policy & process was launched on 16 August 2012. It is based on the national Filling of Posts policy released by the Department of Health on 1 August 2012, and describes the pooling and matching, redeployment and recruitment processes that sender organisations must follow when populating new organisational structures pre-transfer. A brief flowchart summarising the Filling of Posts process is at Appendix 1.

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3.4.2 To support the launch of the Filling of Posts policy & process, a series of Filling of Posts workshops for all staff was held in locations across both Clusters during late August and early September 2012.

3.4.3 Pooling and matching panels (a key element of the Filling of Posts process) are scheduled to commence from 24 September 2012. Training workshops have been held during September for those who will sit on these panels.

3.5

People Transition Team 3.5.1 In recognition of the significant level of work and process associated with transition, the executive teams in the CKW and ABL Clusters authorised some additional resource for the HR&OD team for the period from August 2012 – March 2013.

3.5.2 The resource comprises a full time People Transition Project Manager, who will manage a team of two People Transition project officers and one People Transition administrator for each Cluster; a total resource of 7 people across the two Clusters.

3.5.3 The People Transition Project Manager is in place, and recruitment activity is well-advanced to identify the project officers and administrators.

3.6

West Yorkshire Workforce Transition Group (WYWTG) 3.6.1 The West Yorkshire Workforce Transition Group (formerly called the Joint Staff Engagement Transition Sub Committee) continues to meet on a monthly basis as the forum for formal consultation with trade union / staff side colleagues.

3.6.2 The WYWTG worked together to develop the local interpretation of the national Filling of Posts policy and process; and continues to take a positive, partnership approach to managing transition together.

3.7

Potential Use of Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme (MARS), Retention Scheme (RETS) and Voluntary Redundancy Schemes 3.7.1 Neither Cluster has ruled out the use of any of the above schemes, with consideration being given to the use of both MARS and RETS by the respective executive teams and the Cluster Remuneration and Terms of Service Committee during August 2012.

3.7.2 A business case for the use of a MARS scheme is being prepared for submission to the Strategic Health Authority for approval.

3.7.3 In the event that the use of a Voluntary Redundancy Scheme is required, and approved by the SHA, the likely point at which it would be introduced would be in the late autumn of 2012.

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3.8

2012 National NHS Staff Survey 3.8.1 In light of the transition to the new NHS commissioning architecture, Sir David Nicholson (NHS Chief Executive) invited PCTs to consider whether they wished to opt out of the 2012 survey.

3.8.2 Consideration was given to this invitation by the Cluster Executive Team and PCT Senior Management Teams during August 2012.

3.8.3 Taking into account factors including the timing of the survey results, and the inability to split the survey results in order to pass them to receiver organisations; it was decided that the three PCTs in the Cluster would not participate in the 2012 National NHS Staff Survey.

3.8.4 All three PCTs remain committed to receiving and acting on the views of employees. In the absence of the National NHS Staff Survey, consideration is being given to the use of a locally-based, transition-focused survey for employees in the three PCTs, to encourage feedback and enable appropriate supportive action to be taken.

3.9

Support for staff during transition 3.9.1 During times of organisational change, it is more important than ever that employers ensure that appropriate support and development mechanisms are in place for staff.

3.9.2 In the CKW Cluster, a range of support and development measures have been introduced over the past year, experiencing good take up from staff. These included: • career development workshops •

independent pensions / financial advice sessions

•

stress management & resilience courses

3.9.3 Feedback from staff has been that a key factor they value during organisational change is timely communication about the change process. The Cluster is committed to delivering timely communication and engagement, with examples including: • ongoing monthly staff face-to-face briefings in each PCT •

weekly Cluster Connect e-bulletin

•

new weekly People Transition bulletin, focusing on organisational change

•

Filling of Posts workshops to explain the processes of filling new organisational structures

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4.0

Workforce Metrics 4.1

Workforce Size

4.1.1 Having declined steadily since April 2011, workforce numbers in the Cluster have been shrinking much more slowly during the period from May to July 2012.

This is to be expected during the transition period, during which some “double running” may be required with PCTs and shadow CCGs in operation simultaneously.

4.1.2 At the end of July 2012, the Cluster workforce stood at 567.7 FTE, compared with an April 2011 figure of 651.2 FTE; a reduction of 13%.

4.1.2 The chart below shows the progression of the Cluster Workforce since April 2011. The dashed line represents the estimated trajectory of the workforce during 2012/13, if there were to be no redundancy schemes and the “fill rate” of vacancies continued at the same level.

CKW Cluster Workforce size since April 2011 (FTE) 660.0

651.2

640.0 620.0 600.0 580.0

581.5 572.9

569.3

567.7

560.0 540.0

CKW 12/13

4.2

CKW 11/12

2012/13 Trajectory *

Sickness Absence

4.2.1 The chart on the following page shows sickness absence across the CKW Cluster, dating back to April 2011. Sickness absence for 2012/13 is represented by the blue line.

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CKW Cluster Sickness absence since April 2011 5.00% 4.50% 4.00% 3.50% 3.00% 2.50% 2.00% 1.50% 1.00% Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

4.2.2 The Board will be aware that sickness absence levels during 2011/12 (represented by the red line on the chart above) were on average low across the Cluster, with the outturn average for the year on target at 2.5%.

4.2.3 The 2.5% target is represented by the green line on the chart on the previous page.

4.2.4 It can be seen from the chart on the previous page that Cluster sickness absence figures have remained significantly above 2011/12 levels so far this year, although they have dropped significantly from a peak in February 2012.

4.2.5 NHS Kirklees’ latest sickness absence figures are at 1.5% which is the lowest level it has achieved since June 2011 and well within the 2.5% target. It is expected that low levels of sickness in NHS Kirklees can be maintained at present, as a number of cases of long term sickness absence have recently been successfully concluded with returns to work.

4.2.6 NHS Calderdale’s sickness absence reached 2.2% which is its highest since the winter peak of 3.3% in December 2011. 2.2% is still well within the 2.5% target.

The increase in NHS Calderdale’s previously extremely low level of sickness absence has been due to a small number of new long term sickness absence cases in the PCT’s small workforce. 50% of these cases have since been successfully concluded, so it is expected that NHS Calderdale’s sickness absence will shortly fall once again to its previously exceptionally low levels.

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4.2.7 The biggest impact on NHS Wakefield District’s current sickness absence level of 3.7% is the relatively high level of long term sickness; which accounts for 2.9% sickness absence. Although the overall sickness absence level of 3.7% means NHS Wakefield District is in excess of the 2.5% target, the PCT’s sickness absence has fallen overall and is currently at its lowest level since the beginning of the calendar year.

4.2.7 Across all three PCTs, the HR&OD team continues to work closely with managers to monitor and manage sickness absence, with all ongoing episodes of long term sickness absence under active management.

5.0

Recommendations 5.1

It is recommended the Board receives and notes the information contained in this paper.

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