SPF Members' Handbook 2012 WELCOME TO THE SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP FORUM The Social Partnership Forum (SPF) is a partnership between the Department of Health (DH), NHS Employers (NHSE) and NHS Trade Unions. The SPF is a forum to discuss, debate and involve partners in the development and implementation of the workforce implications of policy. How this handbook can help you This handbook contains useful information about the SPF. It explains what the SPF is about, the role of partners and how you, as a member of the forum, can get involved to support the aims of the SPF. It also provides practical information on the SPF's detailed working arrangements. The handbook will be reviewed annually to ensure content is up to date. This handbook should be used alongside the SPF Partnership Agreement and the SPF website (www.socialpartnershipforum.org). Key contacts The SPF is supported by a network of staff in the DH, NHSE and NHS Trade Unions. For further information or advice, please contact: SPF TU Lead [email protected] SPF NHSE Lead [email protected] SPF DH Lead [email protected] SPF Project Manager [email protected] 1 www.socialpartnershipforum.org Social Partnership Forum The SPF is a forum to discuss, debate and involve partners in the development and implementation of the workforce implications of policy. The aim of the SPF is to: . contribute trade union and employer perspectives to the development of policy . provide constructive comments on emerging policy at a formative stage . contribute ideas on the workforce implications of developing policy and implementation . promote effective communications between partners. The SPF is built on a framework of effective partnership working. The principles, processes and structures of partnership working are linked to partners’ shared goals and objectives. The shared approach and principles of for effective joint working are set out in the SPF Partnership Agreement. Why work in partnership? Effective partnership working has the potential to produce some important benefits for all parties. These include: . delivering improved services to patients/users . improved mutual understanding . an opportunity for partners to contribute their experience and ideas to the development and implementation of the workforce implications of policy on health and social care . an ability to assess the likely impact of emerging policy on the NHS workforce and to mitigate risk . more effective implementation of policy . ensuring high standards of employment practices . providing a transparent and streamlined structure for Trade Union, employer and staff engagement. What are the benefits for each partner? The SPF enables partners to work together to promote effective partnership working on the workforce implications of policy. It brings together representatives from the DH, trade unions representing NHS staff and NHSE who provide the employers' voice. This tripartite partnership model enables partners to discuss, debate and involve each other in the development and implementation of the workforce implications of policy. 2 www.socialpartnershipforum.org DH perspective: Ministers and the DH value the SPF, as it provides a forum which upholds high levels of cooperation and commitment to improve the health and social care outcomes for patients. The forum provides valuable input into the workforce implications of policy development and supports the implementation of policies. Working in partnership and engaging with the workforce is key to making the best decisions about patient care. Evidence shows that engaged, satisfied employees are more productive and that in the NHS, staff and patient satisfaction are closely linked. We believe that engaging NHS staff in decisions that affect them is a crucial factor in the delivery of high quality care for our patients. TU perspective: The NHS trade unions believe it is in their members' best interests to engage in partnership working with governments and employers to seek solutions to challenges and problems. Partnership working puts an onus on both employers and trade unions to engage and consult on all decisions that affect staff. Partnership underpins and facilitates sound and effective employer and trade union relations and has a track record of delivering real gains for staff and patients. As a crucial determinant of the quality of healthcare, a growing body of evidence-based research shows that effective staff engagement in NHS organisations improves the patient experience and healthcare outcomes. Employers’ perspective: The SPF allows employers to get an early sight of health policy. It also allows them to give their perspective on how policy should be developed and highlight the possible workforce implications of a policy. In particular, the forum allows employers to influence how proposals are implemented and, through discussions with colleagues in the DH and NHS Trade Unions, make sure they are workable and realise maximum benefits for patients. Partnership working in practice The SPF is committed to working in partnership nationally and believes that partnership working between employers and trade unions is crucial to delivering priorities across the NHS. Some good examples of where the national SPF is working together to deliver real benefits for NHS staff, employers and patients are set out below: HR transition Through the HR Transition Partnership Forum (HRTPF), SPF partners work in partnership to achieve positive outcomes for NHS, Arms Length Body (ALB) and DH staff which are supported by fair and effective HR policy during the transition phase of the NHS reforms. The HRTPF provides a single national forum for the discussion of and development of HR policies and processes to support transition across the NHS, DH and ALBs. The HR Transition Framework (published in July 2011) was developed through the HRTPF; it outlines the principles that should be followed when staff are transferred between organisations as part of the proposed health and social care reforms and aims to ensure that processes are transparent and staff are treated fairly and equally. The HRTPF continues to engage with the development of ongoing national HR transition guidance, covering NHS, DH and ALB staff. 3 www.socialpartnershipforum.org NHS staff flu campaign 2011 SPF partners have successfully led a national seasonal flu campaign for NHS staff. In partnership, NHSE, Trade Unions and the DH have produced a wide range of materials and resources to encourage greater uptake of the flu vaccination by NHS staff. This has led to a 300% improvement in the number of staff vaccinated compared to the same point the previous year. The success of the campaign has demonstrated the strength of partnership working at the national level to achieve positive results for patients and staff. Regional and local case studies The SPF continues to gather examples of good practice. There are over 30 case studies on the SPF website demonstrating the positive outcomes experienced where NHS organisations have used partnership working to help keep staff informed, engaged and supported in the workplace. This includes good practice examples of engagement through the process of transfer; delivery of the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) programme, and improvements to staff morale and engagement. SPF case studies can be found at www.socialpartnershipforum.org/CASESTUDIES/Pages/Casestudies.aspx 4 www.socialpartnershipforum.org Roles and Responsibilities To enable effective operation of these partnership arrangements, all partners agree to recognise and respect each other’s roles and functions which are distinct but complementary. At national level partners recognise that: . Ministers are democratically elected and have formal responsibility for developing and implementing public policy through the DH . Trade Unions have a responsibility to represent the interests of their members . NHSE has a responsibility to represent the views of its members. A range of other groups and networks exists at national level with whom the SPF liaise and interface. This includes the NHS Staff Council which is responsible for formal negotiations on pay and terms and conditions issues for staff covered by Agenda for Change. At Regional level partners recognise that proposed NHS reforms including the emergence of new organisations, will necessitate new models of partnership working to be established at regional level, which replicate the broad principles and values laid out in the Partnership Agreement. At Local Employer level partners retain a common aim to ensure that effective partnership working is sustained and embedded in all employer organisations. Members' Behaviour The SPF and its subgroups are a place where meetings are conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect even when the partners are in disagreement over a specific issue. The following guidelines provide some agreed ground rules to support a positive and constructive working environment: a) Wherever possible keep the language simple and avoid jargon. If you do not fully understand an issue, ensure that you ask for clarification before agreeing or disagreeing b) Respect other members of the forum as individuals with equal rights c) Recognise and respect the responsibilities that individuals have as representatives of their respective partner organisations d) Where appropriate, maintain confidentiality on issues of a sensitive nature and where agreed, do not share confidential papers outside of the meeting. If