WORKFORCE RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES: THE ROLE OF THE NON EXECUTIVE

Paul Myatt

Policy advisor – workforce

December 2015

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Ginny Edwards, NED, West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Sue Ells, NED, Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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Today, Leeds

4 Dec, London

2 Dec, Birmingham

17 Nov, Bristol

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“Workforce is our biggest risk.” NHS Providers annual conference, 11 Nov

We’re talking about a lot of people

• Currently 1.4m people work in the NHS

• Further 1.6m in social care

• Together this makes up 1 in 10 of the working

population

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And we’re talking about a lot of spend

• NHS provider trusts usually spend between 60-80% of their budget

on workforce (£47.1bn in 14/15 national total)

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Objectives of this session: to shine a light on our workforce responsibilities and opportunities

• What are your trusts three biggest workforce issues?

• How are you addressing them?

• How can we approach our workforce assurance role as NEDs?

• Peer to peer sharing and learning

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WHAT ARE YOUR TRUSTS THREE BIGGEST WORKFORCE ISSUES?

Issues can be risks or opportunities…

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WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ADDRESS THEM?

Within the trust, in partnership with others

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HOW CAN I APPROACH MY WORKFORCE ASSURANCE ROLE AS A NED?

What should I be asking? What should I be looking at? How can you get assurance?

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What should I be asking about?

• Is our workforce well led, safe, high quality & caring ?

• What are the indicators and where are these discussed to

provide assurance ?

• What are the risks, issues and mitigations ?

• How are we innovating and making the most of new

opportunities ?

• Where are the biggest concerns ?

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Workforce Indicators

• Establishment

• Recruitment process

• Vacancy rates

• Sickness rates

• Temporary Staffing Usage

(bank and agency)

• Turnover/attrition

• Employee engagement &

patient experience stats

• Performance management &

appraisals

• Statutory/Mandatory Training

• Learning and development

programme

• Revalidation

• Employee Relations Case

Numbers

• Financial impact and

management of all the above

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How can you get assurance ?

• KPIs

• Listen in to action

• Big Conversations

• Staff survey

• Bullying and Harassment advisors

• Walkabouts

• Board Assurance Framework

• Risk registers

• Rigorous monitoring of actions and plans 15

HOW CAN I APPROACH MY WORKFORCE ASSURANCE ROLE AS A NED?

What should I be asking? What should I be looking at? How can you get assurance?

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Workforce Indicators

• Establishment

• Recruitment process

• Vacancy rates

• Sickness rates

• Temporary Staffing Usage

(bank and agency)

• Turnover/attrition

• Employee engagement &

patient experience stats

• Performance management &

appraisals

• Statutory/Mandatory Training

• Learning and development

programme

• Revalidation

• Employee Relations Case

Numbers

• Financial impact and

management of all the above

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Summing up and…

• NHS Providers will circulate

a summary of the sessions

at all four NED networks

• Ginny and Sue will consider

how interested NEDs might

continue the conversation

on workforce

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