NHS STAFF COUNCIL SUB GROUP HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING PARTNERSHIP GROUP (HSWPG) TERMS OF REFERENCE

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1 NHS STAFF COUNCIL SUB GROUP HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING PARTNERSHIP GROUP (HSWPG) TERMS OF REFERENCE The Health, Safety and Wellbeing Partnership Group (formerly POSHH) is a national sub-group of the NHS Staff Council. The remit of the NHS Staff Council includes: maintenance of the new pay system, including any variations to the national agreements; the negotiation of any variations in the harmonised national core conditions of service across the NHS as set out in Part 3 of this Handbook; the negotiation of any enabling agreements or variations in any enabling agreements in respect of conditions of service which are not harmonised; the interpretation of the national agreement and the general operation of the modernised NHS pay system including any concerns about equal pay for work of equal value across the three pay spines; and the discussion of any other general issues of common concern on pay and terms and conditions of service. The NHS Staff Council may form sub groups to discuss analysis, evidence and issues with significant implications for a particular group, or to oversee particular parts of the system, and make recommendations on them to the Council. The remit for Health, Safety and Wellbeing Partnership Group will be reviewed annually by the Staff Council. The group will make formal reports on its work and recommendations for action, to the Staff Council through the nominated Chairs (or an agreed substitute). 1. Overall purpose 1.1. To support the raising of standards of workplace health, safety and wellbeing in the healthcare organisations To promote a safer working environment for all healthcare staff. 1

2 1.3. To share and promote best practice across both the NHS and the Independent sector. Objectives: 2.1 to scope and encourage the spread of good practice, particularly in respect of risks identified within the NHS Protect and HSE s priority programmes and the NHS Employers contractual programme of work. 2.2 to develop links and to work in partnership with the HSE and other relevant organisations to provide a source of expertise where necessary to reduce the incidence of work related ill health and injury which have an impact on healthcare employees wellbeing, workplace health and safety. 2.3 to support organisational awareness of legal and regulatory requirements related to health, safety and wellbeing and to provide resources to support employers to meet their legal duties. 2.4 to raise the profile and benefits of local partnership working between employers and safety representatives on health, safety and wellbeing. 2.5 to identify potential areas where effective standard approaches across sectors would be beneficial and seek to agree what those approaches should be and promote their implementation. 2.6 to identify areas of research and to seek sources of funding to support this. 2.7 use data to evaluate the effectiveness of group communication, knowledge of HSWPG products, implementation of group products, and where appropriate, impact products have had in supporting Health, Safety and Wellbeing in health organisations. Use this information to review and improve products. 2.8 to share information on best practice and explore how each of the healthcare bodies represented on the group can make best use of this knowledge. 2.9 to collectively respond to consultation on Government policy making and developments relating to employee health and safety and wellbeing to contribute to future reviews and directives that impact on the health, safety and wellbeing of employees in the health sector. 3. Membership NHS Employers representatives and secretariat Nominated representatives from within the NHS. Membership must include a mix of members with occupational health, human resources, health and safety backgrounds and every level of healthcare provision (primary, secondary, mental health and ambulance services) Trade union representatives 2

3 Advisers to provide an agreed meeting update: HSE NHS Protect Advisors to provide a general update (as and when available): Representatives of the Health Departments of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland Sitting as Observers (who will attend as appropriate) Independent Healthcare Advisory Services IOSH NHS Litigation Authority Registered Nursing Home Association Care Quality Commission - to maintain its independent regulator status, the Care Quality Commission will be represented on the group in an informationsharing capacity only. Co-opted experts as required 4. Meetings Management General Principles 4.1 The group will adopt partnership working to deliver its aims. 4.2 The group will be conducted within a culture of mutual dignity and respect. Executive Meetings 4.3. There will be an Executive meeting consisting of the co-chairs and one other member from both staff and employers organisations side plus the Programme Lead and secretariat from NHS Employers The Executive will meet 4 times per year between main meetings of the group The meetings will be held by teleconference Chairs will alternate for each meeting Purpose of meeting is to agree agendas, minutes and other documentation for the full meeting monitor progress against the work plan agree funding for research and projects as required speakers for the year Timings for the meeting 3

4 4.8. As a minimum, both Chairs and a member of NHS Employers will be in attendance To agree dates for future meetings HSWPG meetings at the October/November meeting of the Executive. Full Meetings Meetings will alternate between London and Leeds There will be 4 full Meetings per financial year There will be joint chairs: one from representatives of staff side organisations and one from representatives of employers The Project Group meeting will start no earlier than 10:00 and the Full Meeting will finish no later than15.30pm, depending on the size of the agenda agreed at the Executive Group Standard agenda items will include Apologies for absence Notes of the last meeting (accuracy) Matters Arising HSE Update NHS Protect Update NHS Employers update Sub Group Update NHS Staff Council Update Work Plan Assurance Any Other Business 3 Key Messages Date and Time of Next Meeting 4.15 NHS Employers secretariat is responsible for arranging and financing the catering for the meeting. Quorum To be quorate, there should be at least 4 management side, 4 staffside, one NHS Employers representative. If there are less than these numbers, the Chairs will determine the viability in proceeding with the meeting Either the Chair or Deputy Chair from employers and staff organisations must be in attendance to Chair the full meeting and pre-meetings Confirmation of attendance must be at least 5 working days prior to the meeting Staff side organisations, NHS Protect and the HSE should nominate a deputy to attend should they be absent. 4

5 4.20. Failure to attend by employers organisations for 2 consecutive meetings without notification will result in termination of membership from the group If on long term absence, we ask member to contact their respective chair so that cover can be agreed whenever possible The group may invite other organisations to contribute to particular areas of work as appropriate. 5. Ways of Working Secretariat 5.1. The secretariat to the partnership group will be provided by NHS Employers By the end of the last meeting of the year the secretariat will produce a list of agreed dates of every Staff Council, full meeting, executive meeting and dates when papers must be received by The secretariat will be responsible for distributing papers to the full group 2 weeks prior to the full meeting Standard papers for every meeting will include Agenda Minutes of the previous meeting Terms of reference Group report to NHS Staff Council Work Plan Agreed dates for the year Any other documents relevant to the meeting 5.5. The secretariat will produce draft minutes of the meeting within 3 weeks of the full meeting The Co-Chairs will check the accuracy of the minutes within 2 weeks from the secretariat to ensure distribution of the minutes within 4 weeks of the meeting. Work Plans 5.7. The work plans for each new financial year will be drafted at the first Executive meeting of the new calendar year and sent for approval at the next following full meeting The work plan will consist of a maximum of three core objectives which will provide maximum impact for the year. At least two of these objectives will be staff side proposals. One objective remains employing organisation/ NHS Employers proposals. 5

6 5.9. The work plan will detail project theme lead, project group members timescales, milestones and agreed communication methodologies Each project theme will be supported by a project group. Project Groups Each project group will have a project chair appointed from within the main group Each project group will meet before the Full Meeting for 1.5 hours There will be no secretariat provided to the project groups. Actions will be noted by the project lead and fed back to the Full Meeting for official noting Each project group will be supported by a Project Implementation Plan (PIP). This will include group terms of reference, project goals, milestones and a communication plan Any costs to support implementation of the project should be agreed at the Executive Group meeting, which will allocate and monitor resource allocation. 6. Work outside Partnership Group 6.1. Work not part of the formal work plan can be accommodated as agreed by the (HSWPG) Executive Group Respective sides will nominate representatives to attend relevant groups related to the groups work and feed in the views of employer and staff representatives respectively. Updates will be provided at the Full Meeting Joint work with other NHS Staff Council sub groups will be agreed by the (HSWPG) Executive Group and representatives accommodated as a separate strand within the Work Plan Some work outside the Partnership Group can be endorsed and supported by the Co-Chairs on behalf of the Full Meeting where necessary. 7. Staff Council 7.1. Reports will be provided for NHS Staff Council meetings and also for each meeting of the NHS Staff Council Executive The reports will be written and agreed jointly by the Co-Chairs or deputy Representation at the NHS Staff Council will be provided jointly by the Co- Chairs or deputy. 6

7 7.4. NHS Employers will provide the co-chairs with a scheduler of NHS Staff Council dates and reports deadlines. Document Control Document Lead: James Tracey, Management Chair, HSWPG Version number Author Date of Amendments Amendment Draft version 0.1 James Tracey 4/1/13 Amended from POSHH terms of reference June 2009 Draft version 0.2 Kim Sunley Amended following discussions with staff side. Draft version 0.3 James Tracey 6/2/13 Amended following exceptional executive meeting at UNISON on 6/2/13 Draft version 0.4 James Tracey 14/2/13 Amended following (POSHH) executive meeting on 14/2/13 Draft version 0.5 Jan Worthy 16/4/13 Amended following the name change of 15/4/13 Draft Version 0.6 James Tracey 19/4/13 Slight corrections of spacing in section 2. Changes to 4.13 & 4.16 Draft version 0.7 James Tracey 23/4/13 As agreed with Kim Sunley via e- mail 23/4/13 Version 0.8 Jan Worthy?? Version 0.9 Jan Worthy Dec 13 Amendments made in accordance with changes at HSWPG 5/12/13 Version 1.1 James Tracey 17/1/14 Following meeting to revise ToR 13/1/14 7