WAKEFIELD METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COUNCIL AND SOUTH WEST
YORKSHIRE MENTAL HEALTH NHS TRUST
POLICY ON THE DEPLOYMENT OF STAFF WITHIN THE JOINT
MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS IN OLDER PEOPLES MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES.
1.
Introduction
Wakefield Metropolitan District Council and South West Yorkshire Mental Health
NHS Trust are committed to working in partnership to improve mental health
services. In order to achieve this some teams have been developed as
multidisciplinary teams and have joint management arrangements with integrated line
management in the community teams.
This means that the teams staff and resources will be managed and deployed by the
team manger who may be employed by either organisation.
This Deployment Policy is designed to enable staff to work within the joint
management structure with clear governance and accountability arrangements whilst
remaining employed by their present employer on their current terms and conditions.
2.
Deployment within Joint Management Arrangements .
The term deployment within joint management arrangements in the context of this
policy is defined as:
‘The duties and responsibilities of employees on a day-to-day basis will be managed
under the joint management arrangements, whilst continuing to remain employed by
their present employer’.
3.
Agreed Key Principles Underpinning the Deployment Policy
The principles that underpin this Deployment Policy are:
1.
Protect staff’s terms and conditions of employment.
2.
Protect staff’s employment protection rights and continuity of service.
3.
Provide security for staff on their current contract of employment and the
appropriate agreed collective bargaining arrangement agreed from time-totime between Wakefield Metropolitan District Council and its staff and South
West Yorkshire Mental Health NHS Trust and its staff.
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4.
Provide clear governance and accountability arrangements for both
organisations and individual employees.
5.
Provide a clear framework for individuals to act on behalf of the both
organisations and deploy such resources as agreed.
6.
Enable delegated responsibilities, which comply with respective organisations
Standing Orders/Standing Financial Instructions.
It has further been agreed that this Deployment Policy must also safeguard personal
and professional development and individual’s pension rights within NHS
Superannuation scheme, or Local Authority Superannuation Scheme as appropriate.
4.
Deployment in the Joint Management Structure
The development of services within a joint management structure will mean for staff
who are deployed and working within that team, that their line manager could either
be an employee of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council or South West Yorkshire
Mental Health NHS Trust.
This Deployment Policy ensures that whether or not an individual’s line manager is
from the same or a different employing organisation, their current terms and
conditions including relevant Human Resource policies will be adhered to and
operated in accordance with agreed protocols.
Further, the Deployment Policy also provides a clear framework for staff to be
managed within a joint management structure on a day-to-day basis from a manager
employed by either Wakefield Metropolitan District Council or South West Yorkshire
Mental Health NHS Trust. This will include the authority to issue reasonable
management instructions to staff on behalf of both organisations.
Managers from either organisation will, therefore, be provided with access to the
appropriate and necessary information, advice, support and training to enable them to
undertake their responsibilities within an integrated service.
5.
Personal and Professional Development
Continuous personal and professional development is recognised as vital to the
provision of effective and efficient integrated mental health and learning disability
services. Therefore, Wakefield Metropolitan District Council and South West
Yorkshire Mental Health NHS Trust re-affirm their on-going commitment to
undertake their responsibilities to provide the training and development required to
enable individual teams and professional groups to maintain safe services.
Managers in the service will:
*Ensure staff deployed within the joint management arrangements have an annual
appraisal and personal development plan in accordance with individuals terms and
conditions. This should address the educational requirements for staff to remain
competent to practice.
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*Taking a partnership approach to training needs analysis of staff in line with
individual, professional and organisational priorities.
*Promptly inform both organisations of mandatory/statutory training arising out of
annual appraisals/Personal Development Plans.
*Ensure that staff have access to regular supervision arrangements and that
professionally qualified staff continue to have access to appropriate clinical/practice
supervision arrangements relating to their practice.
*Ensure that newly appointed staff have corporate and workplace induction.
6.
Authority to Act
This policy recognises that both employing organisations retain their statutory and
legal responsibilities and duties whilst giving the authority to managers, within
integrated line management , to act on behalf of either organisation in the issuing of
reasonable management instructions, relating to operational service matters and the
administration and application of HR policies and procedures, within a clear
framework.
Issues relating to employment matters including conduct and/or performance will be
dealt with in accordance with the appropriate policy and/or procedure of the
employing organisation and normally in the first instance by the line manager
irrespective of which organisation they are employed by.
Any formal process can only be undertaken with consultation and agreement of the
appropriate employing organisation unless specified otherwise within agreed
protocols.
7.
Health and Safety
The health, safety and welfare of staff is of paramount importance to both Wakefield
Metropolitan District Council and South West Yorkshire Mental Health NHS Trust.
The employing organisation will retain their statutory and legal responsibility for the
health and safety at work of their employees. Managers within integrated line
management will, therefore, have access to both health and safety advice and
guidance and occupational health services from both organisations.
8.
Professional Leadership and Development
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Professional leadership and development arrangements is acknowledged as important
to enabling the development and delivery of safe and effective integrated services.
Each organisation will continue to ensure that
* professional leadership and development arrangements are in place for their staff.
*There are appropriate systems for the recording and monitoring of staff who are
required to be registered in order to practice.
*staff continue to have access to appropriate professional forums.
9.
Management of Vacancies
The development of a workforce based on service needs is an important aspect of
integrated working. The team manager will review vacancies when they arise to
address the service developments. This may necessitate the manager proposing
changes to either the Trust or Social Services and Health establishments. No changes
to the staffing establishment, including changes in professional qualification, grade or
training required can be undertaken without the approval of the employing
organisation.
Vacancies within the joint management structure will be advertised in both partner
organisation internal vacancy bulletins.
Managers will follow the recruitment and selection procedure and/or code of practice
of the employing organisation. The chair of the recruitment panel must have
undertaken recruitment and selection training provided by either organisation and will
preferably be from the employing organisation. Short listing and interviewing panels
for social care posts should include a qualified social worker and for health service
posts a qualified health service worker.
All management posts will be jointly advertised, interviewed for and selected to. Both
organisations will agree the appointment.
10.
Staff Side Recognition/Joint Consultation
The effective involvement and communication with staff across organisational
boundaries is a key aspect of providing seamless integrated services.
It is recognised that Staff Side organisations play an important part in effective staff
engagement through their representation of the workforce.
11.
Existing consultation mechanisms will continue in both organisations. Joint
consultation arrangements may be established where the circumstances determine that
it would be the best way forward to proceed forward with integration matters.
Human Resources Policies and Procedures
This Deployment Policy protects individual’s terms and conditions including relevant
Human Resources policies and procedures. Joint protocols will be developed and
agreed for the key employment policies including:
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12.
Disciplinary
Capability
Grievance
Workplace Harassment (Including Sexual and Racial Harassment and
Bullying)
Sickness Absence
Recruitment and Selection
Workforce Development/Information
The employing organisation will be responsible for maintaining and updating the
relevant HR and Payroll systems. The responsibility for providing appropriate
workforce information rests with the employing organisation.
Managers within integrated line management will have access to relevant HR and
Payroll information, in accordance with Data Protection Act, to enable them to
discharge their duties and responsibilities.
Wakefield Metropolitan District Council and South West Yorkshire Mental Health
NHS Trust agree to protect, in accordance with the provision of the Data Protection
Act, any personal data held on staff irrespective of their employing organisation.
Workforce Planning and Development strategies will be developed in partnership
with the involvement of key stakeholders, including where appropriate, recognised
Staff Side organisations.
13.
Payment of Salaries and Expenses
The employing organisation will remain responsible for the payment of salaries and
expenses for staff.
14.
Conflict of Interest
In a situation where an individual believes there would be a genuine conflict of
interest between their employing organisation and the partner organisation, arising
from the performance of their duties and/or the undertaking of reasonable
instructions, then they should, in the first instance raise it with their line manager.
Exceptionally where the individual believes it is not appropriate to raise the matter
with their first line manager, then they may raise it directly with an appropriate
manager from the next level of management from their employing organisation
within the service. If the matter is unable to be resolved at this level, then it should
be referred to the General manager or Head of Service of the employing organisation.
At no time in raising a conflict of interest should the safety and care of
patients/service users, staff or visitors be jeopardised.
This does not replace or interfere with the operation of the agreed “Whistle-blowing”
policies of either organisation.
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15.
Confidentiality
All staff in the multidisciplinary team may have access to information concerning
service users and their care, staff and both the Trust’s and Wakefield Metropolitan
District Council business plans or dealings. It is a requirement that all staff observe
confidentiality on behalf of both organisations businesses and dealings and under no
circumstances should information be discussed or passed onto any unauthorised
persons. Such breaches of confidentiality will be dealt with in accordance with the
agreed disciplinary procedures.
Alan Davis
Director of Human Resources and Facilities
South West Yorkshire Mental Health NHS Trust
June 2006.
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Hilary Brearley
Service Director Human Resources
Wakefield Metropolitan District Council