National Priorities 2003-04
NHS Lothian – Workforce Development/Staff Governance.
DRAFT
(a)
Title of Service:
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT/STAFF GOVERNANCE
(b) LOCAL POSITION
Working With Staff
The development of the workforce needs to be driven by the future development of the
service. New skills and ways of working will need to be learnt to enable staff to provide
a modernised service, e.g. to implement and make full use of the IM & T Strategy, the
PACS picture archiving system and other similar innovations. Workforce planning has a
key role to play as part of the process of modernisation of the service in Lothian.
The priorities for working with staff and have never been more challenging as we seek
to improve efficiency, excellence and quality of service within NHS Lothian. The key
stakeholders in taking forward this agenda as we endeavour to become an exemplar
employer are staff, their trade union /professional organisations representatives, our
managers and human resource teams.
We need to lead the implementation of a number of key strategies in order to transform
and reform our workforce. The key priorities will be:
• achieving the standards within Staff Governance;
• the development and implementation of new pay arrangements for Consultants and
General Practitioners;
• to plan for the implementation of Agenda for Change;
• to develop and implement a workforce development strategy within the context of
Working for Health;
• to achieve continuous improvement by ensuring staff can maximise their potential by
establishing robust performance management systems e.g. Consultants Appraisal; and
• to take forward the Joint Future Agenda ensuring appropriate mechanisms are in
place to support staff.
(c) CHANGES TO IMPROVE SERVICES
Staff Governance
We need to improve our management and employment of staff recognising that we
should lead the way as an exemplar employer, recognising the role we play as an
employer meeting the priorities within the social inclusion agenda. This will follow on
from the success of the Lothian Recruitment and Retention agreement. All
organisations within NHS Lothian will develop an action plan based on the results of the
staff survey and the standards outlining their priorities for improving their performance
against the standard.
Treated fairly and consistently
We will ensure that staff are treated fairly and consistently and specifically for this year
we intend to:
• develop an area-wide Policy Group which will lead on the development of Human
Resources policies and procedures in line with the PIN Guidelines;
National Priorities 2003-04
NHS Lothian – Workforce Development/Staff Governance.
• establish a NHS Lothian Job Evaluation Panel for Senior Managers;
• develop and deliver joint training for Line Managers, Human Resources Teams and
Staff Representatives on key staff management policies such as, management of
employee conduct, dealing with employee concerns, management of sickness absence,
dignity at work and management of change; and
• implement the Race Equality scheme, which was published on our website in
November 2002, with the overall aim of eliminating racial discrimination and promoting
equality of opportunity for all.
Appropriately trained
NHS Lothian will meet its obligations within Learning Together and invest in its staff by
establishing robust Learning Plans at Trusts and at the Health Board. A key component
will be our plans for leadership development, which is a priority as we seek to reform
our organisations in order to increase our capability and capacity. We will develop a
Lothian Learning plan for all our staff and ensure that an initiative such as Return to
Learn is fully supported.
Involved in decisions which affect them
Partnership working required a fundamental change in culture within the NHS. We need
to ensure we continue to have in place systems and processes that continue to
embrace the Partnership Agenda. An integral component of our development agenda
will be the continued cascade of partnership working to all decision making and
management levels.
Provided with an improved and safe working environment
In accordance with the National Occupational Health & Safety Strategy “Towards a
Safer Healthier Workplace” NHS Lothian will develop a strategy and implementation
plan to maximise the use of resources within Human Resources, Occupational Health,
Health & Safety and Risk Management functions across the Trusts and the Board. We
are determined to make working in NHS Lothian safer and therefore we will develop
and implement initiatives aimed at reducing violent and aggressive incidents within the
workplace.
We have already made significant progress in the successful introduction of the SHAW,
Scottish Health at Work, awards to two major hospitals and to NHS Lothian’s
headquarters. A significant challenge however is the need to work towards compliance
with the regulations set down in the Working Time Directive and the new deal for Junior
Doctors. This may require us to review the delivery of our services, particularly for outof- hours provision and on-call arrangements.
Well informed
Systems and processes have been developed to ensure that staff are both heard and
responded to. However we need to continually monitor and evaluate these in order to
guarantee their continued success.
New pay arrangements
We need to plan for the introduction of new pay arrangements for all staff including
Consultants and General Practitioners. Human Resources teams and Trade Union/
Professional Organisation representatives will need to implement these new
arrangements fairly and consistently across NHS Lothian. We need to ensure that the
National Priorities 2003-04
NHS Lothian – Workforce Development/Staff Governance.
new arrangements provide the opportunity to support service changes and the
introduction of modern flexible working practices.
Workforce Development
Recognising the skills shortage and the economic environment in Lothian we need to
develop a robust strategy which will enable us to provide a capable and competent
workforce. This will further build on our recruitment and retention low pay deal of last
year – an initiative now being followed by others. The strategy will have to address our
ability to recruit, retain and develop staff. NHS Lothian will establish a Workforce
Planning Group in order to develop a strategy, which will support the delivery of the
Health Plan and its priorities. It will deal with issues around recruitment, retention and
reward and will put in place development that supports staff to maximise their potential.
We need to link together the elements of having the right people in the right place at the
right time within the right skills and paid at the right level. This will involve the coordination of the workforce across Lothian and, for some specialist skills, across the
wider region of S-East Scotland.
The strategy needs to support service redesign and ensure that working practices
support and accommodate change. Through the appointment of a NHS Lothian
Workforce Co-ordinator and Workforce Officers the recommendations of Working for
Health, the Workforce Development Action Plan for NHS Scotland will be taken forward.
To achieve the strategy in full is likely to require some additional investment in staff time
and resources.
The strategy is expected to be completed by the end of the year. It is recognised that it
will need to address a wide range of issues many of which are common across
Scotland, e.g. critical shortages in certain professions and specialities; the impact of EU
regulations, and changes in the way services are delivered as a result of Joint Futures,
Managed Clinical Networks, etc. There are a few local issues, especially the high cost
of housing in Edinburgh and the impact this is having on the lower paid end of the
labour market, which will also need to be taken into account.
Performance management
NHS Lothian will continue to improve its performance by the cascade of performance
management through appropriate systems and processes.
Joint Future Agenda
We will continue to take forward and support the Joint Future Agenda forging strong
links with the Local Authorities through the Local Joint Future Staff Forum. To support
staff all Joint Future schemes will include a staffing framework and a joint training and
development plan developed and agreed by the local staff forums.
Assessment
We will monitor our performance as employers through the annual staff survey and by
the Staff Governance self-assessment tool. The evidence from these assessments will
assist us in identifying our priorities where we can improve our performance as we seek
to become exemplary employers.
National Priorities 2003-04
NHS Lothian – Workforce Development/Staff Governance.
(d) OUTCOMES
1. Staff Governance
Self Assessment Audit Tool (SAAT): - Each Trust and NHS Lothian is required to
compile an action plan derived from the results of the first staff survey and the SAAT.
The action plan plus the auditor’s report will be submitted to the Scottish Executive by 31
March 2003, and will help to inform the outcomes for 200/04.

Establishment of NHS Lothian Human Resources Policy Group, to take forward
development of HR policies and procedures in line with PIN Guidelines.
 Establishment of NHS Lothian Job Evaluation Panel for Executive Level/Senior
Manager posts.
 Organisational Learning Plans include proposals for joint training of HR teams, line
managers and staff representatives on key employment policies, eg management of
employee conduct, dealing with employee concerns, management of sickness
absence,
dignity at work, management of change.
 Organisational Learning Plans meet the requirements of ‘Learning Together’, and
include commitment to collaboration with other NHS Lothian organisations in
development of an NHS Lothian Learning Plan.

Implementation of the NHS Lothian Race Equality Scheme, and development
of local action plans for full implementation of the associated Race Equality Policy
during 2003/04.
2. New pay arrangements for Consultants and General Practitioners
 Implementation of the new Consultants’ Contract within the terms and timescale
required by the SEHD.

Introduction of the new framework for GP contracts within the terms and timescale
required by the SEHD.
3. ‘Agenda for Change’
(i) Evidence of preparation for implementation in accordance with the terms and
timescale required by the SEHD*: to include, –
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Explicit role for Partnership Forums, both NHS Lothian and Local Trust/Health Board
Identification of key strategic and operational issues
Agreement on resource allocation
Initial data requirements defined
Prioritised action plan and timetable
Training needs identified and training plan agreed
(ii) Implementation of the NHS Scotland Low Pay Agreement in accordance with
the terms and timescale required.
National Priorities 2003-04
NHS Lothian – Workforce Development/Staff Governance.
4. Workforce development strategy
Implementation of ‘Working for Health’ in accordance with terms and timescale required
by the SEHD*: to include, –
 Appointment of NHS Lothian Workforce Development Co-ordinator and local
Workforce Development Officers
 Establishment of NHS Lothian Workforce Planning Group
 Identification of key strategic and operational issues, including recruitment and
retention, to support delivery of the Lothian Health Plan
 Initial agreement on allocation of resources and responsibilities
 Identification of IT investment required (business case prepared/in preparation)
 Initial data requirements and input arrangements determined
 Prioritised action plan and timetable
 Training needs identified and training plan agreed
5. Appraisal and personal development
 Self Assessment Audit Tool responses.
 Evidence of implementation of Consultant Appraisal Scheme in accordance with
national requirements and agreed local policy/action plan.
 Evidence of introduction of new NHS Scotland Appraisal and Development Scheme
for staff on Executive Level/Senior Manager payscales, in accordance with SEHD
requirements.
6. Joint Future agenda
Implementation of key actions identified under the strategy, –
 Establishment of Joint Future Staff Forum, in partnership with the local authorities
and designated voluntary agencies, supported by local joint forums for each area.
 All Joint Future schemes include a staffing framework and joint training and
development plan, including facilitation of multi-agency teamworking.
 Mechanisms agreed for partnership with staff representatives and joint review of
effectiveness.