The Challenge of Representing Employers and Negotiating on their Behalf
Gill Bellord
Director of Pay, Pensions and Employment Relations
NHS Employers
The Employer Perspective
Overview
What is NHS Employers and what do we do?
The NHS negotiating framework and Social partnership
Negotiations – how do they work?
Engaging employers – getting a view
Questions?
What is NHS Employers?
NHS Employers represents Trusts in England on workforce issues and helps employers to ensure the NHS is a place where people want to work
We work with employers to reflect their views and acting on their behalf
Our aim is to improve the working lives of staff and, through staff, to provide better care for patients
What is NHS Employers?
The NHS Confederation’ ambition is ‘Excellence for patients, the public and staff’.
An independent driving force for transforming health and health services by:
Influencing policy implementation and public debate
Supporting leaders through networking, sharing information and learning: and
promoting excellence in employment
What are the benefits for the NHS?
We give the NHS an independent voice on issues relating to workforce and employment matters
In the past DH represented employers and Government- this was neither ideal or satisfactory
Employers and staff are best placed to decide how to improve the working lives of staff, improve care for patients and best understand how HR developments fit in with wider service initiatives
What we do - four Priority Areas
Recruitment and planning the workforce
Healthy and productive workplaces
Employment policy and practice
Pay and pensions negotiation
Recruitment and planning the workforce
Employer views on the . future of nursing:
Nursing should be a degree level qualification
All nurses should have generalist skills
framework is flexible
NHS Careers and . NHS Jobs
Healthy and Productive Workplaces
Response to ‘Working for . Health’ consultation – . support for the NHS . taking the lead
‘Healthy Workplaces’ . Handbook
18 Week Wait project
The ‘Skills pledge’ . supporting learning and . development
Employment policy and practice
Equality and Diversity
Improving Working . Lives
Professional regulation
Employment check . standards
The NHS Negotiating Framework - the NHS Staff Council
M ile ag e S u b G ro up O n - C a ll g ro up(S u m m e r 20 0 8)
S u b G rou ps
E q u a lity a n d D ive rs ityS u b G ro up
Jo b E va lu a tio n G ro up(JE G )
T e ch n ica l A dv iso ry G ro up
P e n sio n s G ove rna n ceG ro up
K n o w le d g e a n d S k illsF ra m ew o rk G ro up
P a rtne rsh ip fo r O ccu pa tio na l S a fe tya n d He a lth in H e a lth care (P O S H H )
S ta ff C o un c il E xe cu tive
N H S S ta ff C o u n c il
The NHS Negotiating framework- Recent Agreements
From 1 April 2008:
Three year pay agreement
New pensions scheme for new starters
Unsocial Hours agreement
Ill Health Retirement
New medical contracts
Social Partnership Forum – national forum to . involve partners in the development and . implementation of the workforce implications of . policy
Re-launched in February 2007, meets monthly . chaired by a health Minister
March 2007 a new partnership agreement . between the Department of Health, NHS Trade . Unions, and NHS Employers.
Current activity includes joint work on the staff . survey and hospital acquired infection
The Social Partnership Forum
Negotiations – how do they work?
Idea Mandate &Money ImplementationNegotiation Maintenance Monitoring &
Review
All DH NHS Employers & TUs All
The Negotiations – our approach
‘Real employers’ – not . me!
Training for negotiators
‘The right philosophy’
Building relationships
UK or England?
Sharing models and data
Engaging Employers
One NHS - 400 different opinions!
Surveys and questionnaires
Policy Board and NHS Confederation Networks
E-mail reference groups
Mailboxes for enquiries
Listening to feedback at meetings and events
Annual conference
Key Messages from our experience
Partnership working, nationally and locally, . makes good employment relations possible
New initiatives need time to assimilate
Good communications between staff, employers . and other stakeholders are essential
Partnership working needs continuous attention . to make it sustainable
Your Perspectives and Questions