Health and Wellbeing Policy Group (HWPG)
Minutes of meeting held on 29th September 2014
RSSB Offices, Angel Square
Attendees
Dame Carol Black (Expert Advisor on Health and Wellbeing to the DoH) Chair
Jonathon Wilcock (Alstom)
Michelle Smart (Abellio Greater Anglia )
Olivia Carlton (TFL)
Darren Hockaday (LOROL)
Andrew Edwards (EMT)
John Gillespie (ORR)
Darryl Hopper (RSSB)
Shamit Gaiger (RSSB)
Stephanie Fitzgerald (RSSB)
Mary Sithole (TSSA)
Steve Hails (Crossrail)
Mick Holder (ASLEF on behalf of Dave Bennet)
Apologies
Chris Jones (Network Rail)
Paul Clyndes (RMT)
Dave Bennet(ASLEF)
Claire Burles (EMT)
1. Introduction
1.1. DCB opened the meeting and welcomed the members, who briefly introduced themselves and
their roles.
2. The Railway Health and Wellbeing Roadmap
2.1 The road map was reviewed and SG asked the group for feedback regarding the vision statement
which states “GB railway is an industry where everyone takes responsibility for health and wellbeing
and benefits from it”. SG explained that the Board had questioned whether this statement was
‘driving things forward’ enough and whether a more business perspective was needed.
Decision: Following a discussion the consensus was that the vision statement encompassed all it
needed to.
2.2 When reviewing the roadmap the group highlighted the importance of employee engagement as
being fundamental to the management of health and wellbeing.
Decision: It was agreed to bring forward “increase employee say in health management” so that this
would fall under 2015 list of tasks. It was further agreed that the Employee Engagement section
could be moved to sit under Industry Leadership as the two are closely linked.
2.3.1 The issue of employee engagement raised some interesting discussion points around the key
factors of employee engagement and the role of managers. DCB highlighted the work of David
McCloud and Anita Clarke and felt that this research was significant to the aspect of employee
engagement under discussion and so did not need further investigating.
2.4 A concern was raised that the road map suggested a very top-down approach and the question
was posed as to whether employees would be directly involved in this. It was agreed that employees
should be involved and that we were looking at ways of accessing feedback particularly on issues
such as absenteeism and what was keeping people off work.
2.5 The issue of understanding what good looks like for health and wellbeing was raised by SH. It was
suggested that this needed to be established in order to support organisations at different stages of
Health and Wellbeing attainment. It was suggested that the RSSB HW team look to undertake some
work to better define what good looks like. These themes were linked to the discussion outlined in
3.2.
Action 1
Move employee engagement strategic theme under Industry
Leadership
RSSB team
Action 2
Bring forward “cross Industry charter” within Industry Leadership
RSSB team
Action 3
Bring forward Employee say in health management under the
“Employee engagement” strategic area,
RSSB team
3. Health and Wellbeing Policy Group – Terms of Reference
3.1 SG asked the group to consider their remit including the group’s role and deliverables.
DCB suggested that the group’s ‘support’ function should be emphasised. OC questioned whether
we can state ‘ensure delivery’ of the roadmap, as it was felt the group’s role was more ‘supporting
and enabling’. The issue of governance was discussed. SG emphasised that the project management
and budget control etc. was sitting with RSSB but steering the work and the ensuring it’s in line with
business needs sat with the Health and Wellbeing Policy Group.
Decision: It was agreed that the TOR should be updated to reflect the discussion and should include
what is not within the remit of the group.
3.2 SG raised the question of ‘what does good look like?’ and asked what deliverables the group
wished to see over the next two years. This led to a discussion of how we want to measure the less
tangible aspects such as measuring a shift from reactive to proactive health management. JG
introduced a structure which ORR had been using which listed different levels of standards ranging
from excellent to poor. It was suggested that it may be helpful to have a similar system in place for
the main themes of the roadmap so that people would be able to gauge where they are performing
in different areas. SG highlighted the ‘success measures’ which are underneath each of the more
detailed breakdowns of the themes on the roadmap, but agreed that the 5 bullet-points system
could be helpful.
Decision: RSSB HW Team to look at again at the success measures identified within the roadmap
3.3 Due to time constraints it was agreed that the anticipated outcomes for the group could be
further discussed over email.
Action 4
Update the TOR for the HWPG to reflect the discussion
RSSB team
Action 5
To review the success measures identified within the roadmap
and highlight what good looks like from the perspective of each
strategic theme
RSSB team
Action 6
To continue discussion on anticipated outcomes for the group over
email
HWPG
4. HWPG Ways of Working
4.1 DH outlined two groups which were a Clinical Leadership Group (CLG) and a Health Economics
Group (HEG)
4.1.1 Clinical Leadership Group (CLG)
Concerns were raised about the CLG and the potential costs involved.
Decision: the purpose and anticipated deliverables of the CLG group require further clarification and
then will be emailed around for further discussion.
4.1.2 Health Economics Group (HEG)
DH emphasised that we wanted to keep highlighting the cost-benefit case for the industry keeping a
health and wellbeing focus. The purpose of the HEG would be to continue to make the cost-benefit
case as the roadmap was delivered. The HEG would also make the business case for specific projects
that would be undertaken.
Decision: It was agreed that this group was essential and very necessary. Whilst we don’t want to
lose sight of the moral and legal drives for health and wellbeing, the economics side also needs to be
highlighted.
Action 7
Clarify objectives, tasks, and ways of working for the Clinical
Leadership Group.
RSSB team
Action 8
Establish the Health Economics Group
RSSB team
5. AOB
SG emphasised that a big role of the HWPG was to champion and promote the health and wellbeing
agenda and encouraged all members of the group to get involved in elements and projects that were
of specific interest to them.
DCB reminded everyone that the conference is being held 20th October 2014 and that the HWPG
would be meeting for dinner after this conference.