Recruitment and Selection Policy and Procedure

Transcription

1 Document filename: Recruitment and Selection Policy and Procedure Directorate / Programme HR Project Recruitment Document Reference Project Manager Ken Baker Status Final Owner Ken Baker Version 1.0 Author Kelechi Chukueke Version issue date 30/09/2013 Recruitment and Selection Policy and Procedure Health and Social Care Information Centre Copyright 2013 the Health and Social Care Information Centre. All rights reserved. This work remains the sole and exclusive property of the Health and Social Care Information Centre and may only be reproduced where there is explicit reference to the ownership of the Health and Social Care Information Centre. This work may be re-used by NHS and government organisations without permission. Commercial re-use of this work must be granted by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. For more information on the status of this document, please contact: Ken Baker Head of HR Tel: ken.baker@hscic.gov,uk

2 Revision History Version Date Summary of Changes 1 Feb 2013 First draft after review of all transferring organisations policies (Kelechi Chukueke) 2 Feb 2013 Minor changes following consultation with union (Richard Carthew) 3 March 2013 Amends following TU consultation (Kelechi Chukueke) 4 March 2013 Formatting (Kelechi Chukueke) 5 June 2013 Amends following Shadow Partnership forum consultation (Kelechi Chukueke) 6 Sept Amends following updates on Pre-employment checks by NHS Reviewers Employers (Kelechi Chukueke) This document must be reviewed by the following people: Reviewer name Title / Responsibility Date Version Richard Carthew TU Chair of JNCC Feb 2013 Approved by Name Signature Title Date Version Rachael Allsop Director of HR and 1 Transformation Richard Carthew TU Chair of JNCC 1 This document must be approved by the following people: Document Status This is a controlled document. Whilst this document may be printed, the electronic version posted on the intranet is the controlled copy. Any printed copies of the document are not controlled. Related Documents These documents will provide additional information. Ref no Doc Reference Number Title Version

3 Glossary of Terms Term/ Abbreviation Advertising AfC Appointment Deployment ESR Establishment Flexible staff Induction KSF Procurement Recruiting manager Recruitment Recruitment and Retention premia Redeployment Selection IC2 form PSBC Abbreviations What it stands for Includes all communications used by an organisation to attract talent to work within it. Agenda for Change The act of appointing or designating someone to a recruitment vacancy. The allocation of staff to specific roles or functions Electronic Staff Record The directly employed workforce of the HSCIC, by whole time equivalent and grade, as described in the business plan and any variations agreed in subsequent business cases. Generic term applied to contractors, agency staff and other temporary resources that do not form part of the establishment. Is the process used to welcome and orient new employees to the HSCIC and prepare them for their new role. Knowledge and Skills Framework The process of engaging contractors or agency staff to support specific, time limited, projects or activity. The manager responsible for appointing to, or procuring for, the post. Refers to the selection and appointment of staff to established posts within the HSCIC, whether on a permanent, temporary or secondment basis. Is an additional payment to the basic pay of an individual post or specific group of posts to reflect recruitment and retention difficulties. A process of identifying suitable alternative employment for staff who are unable to continue in their substantive post, e.g. as a result of redundancy or ill-health. Consists of the processes involved in choosing from a number of applicants a suitable candidate to fill a post. Temporary Personnel Request form Professional Services Business Case Explained at first use Page 3 of 34

4 Contents 1 Policy Policy Statement Purpose Rights and Responsibilities Consequences of Non-Compliance Monitoring and Review 7 Appendix 1: Consultation and Communication 8 2 Recruitment and Selection Procedure Introduction Planning Identifying the Need for Resources Different Types of Resource Approval Designing the Role Procurement/Advertising Selection Appointment Interview Expenses Relocation Expenses 18 Appendix 1: Recruiting Process 19 Appendix 2: Recruitment Process Flowchart 20 Appendix 3: Pre-Employment Checks 21 3 References Introduction Principles Procedure for Taking up References - When to take up references Format Referees/References Acceptable to the HSCIC Offers of Appointment Procedure for Providing References - Providing references for existing or former employees Key Legal Considerations in Providing a Reference Who May provide References on Behalf of the HSCIC Contents of References Disclosure of Information 26 Page 4 of 34

5 3.12 Disciplinary Record Health Dismissal Providing Oral References Timing Data Protection Act Complaints 27 Appendix 4: The HSCIC Employer Reference Request Form 28 Appendix 5: The HSCIC Personal Reference Request Form 31 Appendix 6: Personal Statement 33 Appendix 7: Consultation and Communication 34 Page 5 of 34

6 1 Policy 1.1 Policy Statement The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) is committed to the recruitment of the right staff, with the right skills, in the right numbers to meet the needs of the organisation, using open and transparent practices that comply with legislative requirements and our commitment to equality and diversity At first appointment, we will help to maintain job security, staff satisfaction and ensure that the skills, knowledge and experience of staff are effectively and fairly deployed to deliver our key objectives. 1.2 Purpose The purpose of this policy is to ensure that staff recruitment and selection practices within the HSCIC are in line with national agreements and: Compliant with organisational objectives, relevant legislation and best practice; Understood and applied by all those engaged in the recruitment and management of staff; Applied fairly and consistently across the organisation; Capable of delivering a workforce that is fit for purpose This policy is supported by detailed guidance in the Recruitment and Selection Procedure that must be followed for all recruitment activity within the HSCIC The principles of this policy apply to directly employed staff as well as agency staff or contractors. 1.3 Rights and Responsibilities The HSCIC Board has overall responsibility for the approval, implementation and monitoring of HSCIC policy. Acting for the Board, the Chief Executive has delegated responsibility for the operational management of this policy to the Executive Director of Workforce The Executive Director of Workforce is responsible for the development, review, implementation and monitoring of this policy The Directors Group/Delegated Sub Committee is responsible for ensuring that this policy meets the requirements of relevant legislation and supports the HSCIC strategy and objectives. Page 6 of 34

7 1.3.4 Recruiting managers are responsible for ensuring that this policy is implemented consistently and fairly. This includes responsibility for various steps in the recruitment process, although the actual process will normally be undertaken by appropriate support staff reporting to the recruiting manager The Head of HR is responsible for the maintenance of the recruitment process, the day-today management of the policy and the management of the relationship with external providers of recruitment services All staff and job applicants, irrespective of status, have the right to be treated fairly, in line with HSCIC policies. All staff are responsible for ensuring that they are aware of, and comply with, this policy and the key provisions of the supporting guidance. 1.4 Consequences of Non-Compliance Failure to comply with this policy could result in a mismatch between skills and requirements, with the risk of issues around capability, low morale and health. This could, in turn, lead to increased recruitment costs. Non-compliance could also expose the organisation to breaches of legislation or good practice Policies, guidelines and procedures are designed to reflect legal requirements, best practice and the HSCIC objectives. Failure to comply is therefore likely to lead to formal action under the disciplinary or performance management procedures, for example, when recruitment is not by a fair and open competition 1.5 Monitoring and Review This policy will be monitored by the Executive Director of Workforce, who will report any concerns to Directors Group/Delegated Sub-committee with specific recommendations for corrective action This policy will be reviewed at intervals of 3 years, or as otherwise required by changes to legislation or the business needs of the HSCIC, in conjunction with relevant stakeholders. Page 7 of 34

8 Appendix 1: Consultation and Communication As part of its development, this policy has been subject to consultation with the Joint Partnership Forum and Interim Executive of the HSCIC. This policy will be available to staff members on the intranet and discussed at team briefing. Records and Archiving Action Date Copy of new/revised policy to central library Update policy on Intranet Archive previous version (where appropriate) Recover/dispose of remaining previous versions (where appropriate) Page 8 of 34

9 2 Recruitment and Selection Procedure Preface: Recruitment Schematic Diagram NB: Double border indicates HR action/responsibility Section 2.3. Identify need for resource Pg.10 Review the job description and person specification for completeness and grade. Check and copy key documents when candidates attend interview Identify resource requirements in the annual business plan Section 2.7. Procurement/Advertising Pg. 14 Interview candidates using agreed criteria Identify resource requirements of new work in business cases Check the redeployment register for staff who may have the required skills Section 9.Appointment Pg. 16 Consider options for new ways of working when new work or vacancies arise IC2/PSBC for contractor/ agency procurement to Finance Select highest scoring candidate and make verbal, conditional job offer Decide on employee or contractor, permanent or temporary, full or part-time Consider arrangements for interview: date, time, venue, presentation topic, etc. Notify unsuccessful candidates and agree who will provide feedback Section 2.5. Approval to proceed Pg.12 Send draft job advert to HR and discuss any specific advertising requirements Agree starting salary (normally bottom of scale) location, hours of work, etc. Ensure appropriate approval to proceed to recruitment or procurement Publish advert on NHS Jobs for internal or external recruitment Complete pre-employment checks and confirm job offer Section 2.6.Design the role Pg.13 Section Selection Pg. 15 Confirm start date and complete new starters process Don t re-invent the wheel, look for generic job descriptions or contracts Agree clear selection criteria based on essential requirements Section 2.99 Induction Pg. 17 Set out key requirements in the job description and person/service specification Use NHS Jobs to shortlist against agreed criteria and organise interviews Ensure induction and mandatory training is completed Page 9 of 34

10 2.1 Introduction This document sets out detailed procedure for the recruitment and selection of employees at the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). However, the principles apply to the recruitment of contractors and agency staff and it is managed by the Procurement team Failure to follow this procedure creates a risk of breaching policy and/or legal requirements and is therefore likely to be treated as a disciplinary matter, for example, when recruitment is not by a fair and open competition. 2.2 Planning 2.1 According to research conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) the average time to fill a vacancy is 9.8 weeks; Recruiting managers are therefore required to plan their recruitment in advance and secure approval to recruit before commencing the recruitment process Whilst HR will ensure that the process runs as smoothly as possible, managers must take account of potential service gaps and plan the recruitment process accordingly. 2.3 Identifying the Need for Resources The starting point for effective recruitment is the workforce plan, which should be developed in conjunction with the business plan and seen as one of three points in a triangle; Funding, Service Delivery and Staff. An adjustment at any one point requires a balancing adjustment at one or more of the other points Managers have to determine what resource they need, or can afford, to deliver the services for which they are responsible. The Operational HR and Organisational Development functions will support detailed aspects of workforce planning, such as skill mix, development of clear role profiles and person specifications, demographic data and workforce profiling It is also important to ensure that office facilities will meet the need of the business when identifying the need for resource. It may already be the case when recruiting to replace a leaver like for like, however, where the role is new or has changed since vacated then consideration should be given as to whether post holder will be in the office for a more than three days a week, will desk share or hot desk be suitable. Recruiting managers should confirm with Facilities that the requirement can be met either by reserving an existing desk or by providing additional capacity. When recruiting new teams or large temporary groups, before the recruitment takes place the accommodation needs should be discussed in detail with the Facilities team to allow enough time to source and carry out any necessary accommodation changes. Page 10 of 34

11 2.4 Different Types of Resource The starting point for recruitment should normally be into a permanent role; however, prevailing circumstances may require a different type of resource Directly employed staff on a permanent contract Most staff in the organisation are directly employed, i.e. they will be paid, managed and directed by the HSCIC. They will have a contract of employment that will, together with our various employment and operational policies, address any employment risks. Where it is proposed that the HSCIC should employ somebody on behalf of another organisation, advice should be taken from HR on appropriate safeguards as this creates a number of liabilities, e.g. the cost of redundancy payments, should the employment arrangements end Directly employed staff on a fixed-term (or temporary) contract Fixed-term contracts have a defined beginning and end; this could be to complete a particular piece of work or research, cover for a period of maternity leave or because funding is for a limited period. Fixed-term contracts cannot be used for probationary purposes and will normally deemed by law to be a permanent contract once the employee has completed four years continuous employment. The expiry and non-renewal of a fixed-term contract is a dismissal and a temporary employee may have the right to a redundancy payment or, if the employer fails to renew their fixed-term contract without a fair reason and without following a fair procedure, a claim for unfair dismissal. Fixed-term workers are entitled to the same benefits provided to permanent staff, such as annual leave and sickness entitlements. Advice should be sought from HR before entering into, extending or ending fixed-term contracts Secondments i. A secondment can be used to introduce particular skills or experience into the HSCIC to support a time-limited project or in the process of identifying future business needs. Detailed guidance on secondments, in and out of the organisation, can be found in the Secondment Procedure Link Contractors and Agency Staff i. Contractors are normally used to undertake specific, time limited, projects or activities usually where the necessary capability or capacity does not exist in-house. ii. Agency staff are primarily used to fill short term gaps, e.g. pending recruitment to an agreed establishment post. iii. Recruitment of contractors and agency staff is subject to the procurement process. This is managed by the Procurement team and is subject to specific contractual and financial governance arrangements, to ensure compliance with HSCIC standards in respect of information governance, etc. Detailed guidance is available on the intranet but all Page 11 of 34

12 requirements for contractors or agency staff should be managed through Procurement Link. iv. Agency workers are entitled to most of the same benefits provided to permanent staff, such as annual leave and sickness entitlements. Advice should be sought from Procurement before engaging Agency Staff Honorary Contracts Honorary contracts should be issued when an individual is employed by another institution but is working at the HSCIC for a period of time. This will afford some protection to the individual and to the organisation in respect of risks such as information governance, health and safety, etc. For example, when an individual is seconded or/and undertaking a work placements. Requests for honorary contracts must be submitted to HR at least 4 weeks before the individual concerned is due to start work at the HSCIC. 2.5 Approval Government spending controls require us to maintain a robust approach to recruitment and procurement. Authority has been delegated to the Chief Executive, who must be satisfied that no recruitment or procurement takes place unless it is absolutely necessary. At the same time, we have to recognise that we will have a significant number of senior managers who must be given the authority to manage, and accountability for, the services for which they are responsible. The approval process must combine effective assurance with the ability to act quickly when the need arises It is proposed that the constraining factor for recruitment or procurement of agency staff, contractors and work packages is the funded establishment set out in the workforce and financial plans. Within that limit authority to recruit or procure resources would be vested in the relevant Director, working with the HR and Finance teams in their directorate to maintain effective processes, controls and records Any of the parties involved in the approval process can refer the decision to a higher level if there are felt to be significant implications arising from any proposal All changes to the establishment must be notified to HR using form Notification of Variation Transfer to ensure that the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) is updated Link. ESR forms the basis of an establishment control process and, with the following exceptions; recruitment can only progress where a vacancy is shown to exist on the system. i. A recruitment process may be started in anticipation of a retirement, resignation or other termination of employment but the post will not be identified as vacant on ESR until the substantive post-holder actually leaves. No firm offer of employment may be made in such cases until and unless it is certain that the post will, in fact, be vacant at the time of appointment. ii. iii. Temporary arrangements may be required to cover for secondments, maternity leave and other long-term absence. In such cases, the post being covered will not be identified as a vacancy on ESR since it is already occupied and needs to be filled temporarily. This will need to be indicated in the approval to recruit or procure staff. Flexible staff will be recruited via the procurement process and will not appear on ESR. Approval will still be required and it will be the responsibility of appointing Page 12 of 34

13 managers to ensure that all use of temporary, contractor and agency staff, whether to cover absence or in response to short-term fluctuations in capacity or demand, remains within overall workforce budgets The recruiting manager will be responsible, and held accountable, for confirming that any necessary approval for recruitment or procurement has been secured. Whilst recruiting managers will be responsible for the content of job adverts, interview arrangements and selection decisions (and will need to have undertaken appropriate training), the overall recruitment process will be the responsibility of the HR function. The process will, as far as possible, be automated via Nintex software. Nintex is a SharePoint workflow that will deliver our automated recruitment process. Nintex will notify identified stakeholders within the system required actions and send confirmations when they have been carried out. Please refer to the recruitment process map on Appendix Once recruitment has been approved, the recruiting manager will trigger the process by completing a Nintex recruitment resource (RR) form with the job description and person specification attached detailing the role. Ideally, the role will have a generic job description that has already been evaluated. The attached job description on the RR form is automatically forwarded to HR for review. Generic jobs will go straight for advertising while all new or revised job descriptions will be matched or evaluated before pay bands can be confirmed and posts can be advertised. This will presumably lead to delay in the recruitment process as it is likely to take a minimum of one month to convene a panel and produce result The process will track progress through each stage, from notification through evaluation (if necessary), advertising, short-listing, selection and appointment to taking up post. This will present an opportunity to identify and address bottlenecks and will provide assurance around the process. Please refer to the recruiting process map and recruitment process flowchart on Appendix 1 and 2 respectively. However, HR will be available to advise on any stage of the process. 2.6 Designing the Role Whether procuring a contractor or recruiting an employee, it is important to clearly define what we are looking for. Whilst there is scope for roles to change and develop over time, failure to adequately describe the key requirements and expectations of the role may lead to problems with the post holder s performance and/or motivation in future Given the nature of the work of the HSCIC, generic job descriptions are available for a range of posts and these should be considered as a first option. If there is no generic job description available for the post in question the recruiting manager will need to develop one. Standard contract documents are also provided by procurement for contractor and agency staff In all cases, the starting point is the requirements of the role, not the desired pay band. The standard job description and person specification templates are available (here) and follow the approach in the AfC job evaluation scheme and the KSF (Link), identifying the necessary knowledge, skills and other attributes. A similar approach can be adopted in respect of identifying what is required from contractors or agency staff The essential requirements set out in the person specification will form the basis of all subsequent selection decisions. It follows that the requirements must focus on the most important qualities or attributes and must be clear, relevant and justifiable. Particular care must be taken to avoid any suggestion of bias or prejudice e.g. minimum 10 years Page 13 of 34

14 experience might be seen to disadvantage younger applicants and time served does not always equate to knowledge and experience gained Desirable criteria should describe qualities or attributes that would be of benefit but are not essential. In the event that two or more candidates are evenly matched after considering the essential criteria, the desirable criteria will be used to inform the selection decision. 2.7 Procurement/Advertising Employees who are at risk of redundancy and/or on the redeployment register should receive preferential consideration before any procurement or recruitment is considered. HR will check the redeployment register and if such employees meet the essential requirements of the post they should normally be appointed. More detailed guidance on redeployment in the context of organisational change may be found in the Organisational Change Policy and Procedure Link Procurement of contractors and agency staff is managed by the Procurement team. In order to recruit a contractor and agency staff a business case for professional services or the Temporary Personnel Request (IC2) form should be downloaded from the intranet, completed and sent to Procurement for action. Guidance on the process is available on the intranet or from members of the Procurement team In the case of directly employed staff, all vacancies and new posts (including temporary and secondment opportunities) will be advertised on the NHS Jobs website. With 4.5 million visits and 250,000 job applications each month, it is the largest public sector and one of the most successful e-recruitment services in the country. A detailed guide to the range of recruitment management tools available with NHS Jobs is available on the intranet Link All posts will normally be advertised both internally and externally subject to open completion to achieve maximum quality candidates for a minimum of four weeks, i.e. two weeks internally and two weeks externally. However, advertising and competition may be limited to internal candidates for short-term acting up opportunities and in the event of a restructure or other process that could place employees at risk of redundancy. Please refer to Change Management Procedure on dealing with employees at risk of redundancy After the job description and person specification have being reviewed by HR, the recruiting manager should complete Section B of the RR form on Nintex (i.e. job advert and recruitment planner). This section of the form should provide advert details of interview closing date, short-listing arrangements and, where possible, interview arrangements Adverts should be concise but appealing, highlighting the reasons why candidates should want to apply for the post and avoiding the use of jargon and abbreviations. Care must be taken to avoid the risk of discriminating against potential applicants, e.g. by including a requirement for a healthy, energetic individual. Adverts should only request measurable and essential attributes The HSCIC promotes equal opportunity and has policies and procedures to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process. We also have a legal responsibility to ensure that no unlawful discrimination occurs with regard to race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or age. The HSCIC is committed to developing a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve. Consideration should be given at this stage for opportunities to target recruitment initiatives to address underrepresentation of particular groups within the HSCIC workforce. Advice regarding targeted recruitment is available from HR. Page 14 of 34

15 2.7.8 Recruitment and retention premia must be approved by the Remuneration Committee (Remco) prior to advertising a post and will only be supported where evidence of specific recruitment or retention difficulties exists. Advice on these premia should be sought from HR Any proposal for additional advertising or the use of external recruitment services should be discussed and agreed with HR. Such activity is subject to preferred supplier arrangements and must be funded by the recruiting department. 2.8 Selection A range of options is available via NHS Jobs to filter applications, close posts early, etc. to make the selection process more manageable. Advice on the use of these options is available from HR, who will place all adverts All selection decisions, whether at short-listing or final interview stage, must be based on agreed criteria taken from the essential requirements of the person specification. Ideally, no more than 5 factors should be considered, although these may be weighted to reflect relative importance. The panel should agree a realistic minimum score in advance and, except in the circumstances described in paragraph 8.3, only those who score above the line should be short-listed or considered for appointment The HSCIC is committed to the 'positive about disabled people' initiative and displays the two ticks disability symbol on all adverts. Where a candidate with a disability meets the essential requirements of the post and they have requested consideration under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme then they must be shortlisted. For further information about the two ticks scheme, please visit All members of the proposed interview panel should also be part of the short-listing process. The aim of short-listing is to produce sufficient candidates to allow for some attrition but not so many as to make the process virtually unmanageable. More than 6 candidates to interview in a day will start to become difficult for the interviewers as well as the interviewees. Subject to paragraph 8.3, applicants should be ranked by score to produce a realistic short-list Short-listing via NHS Jobs is highly recommended as it is effective and environmentally friendly. Guidance is available on the Intranet for Recruiting Managers Link and Recruiting Panel Members Link NHS Jobs has the added benefits of recording decisions, capturing diversity information and the ability to generate regret letters, interview schedules, etc. with a few mouse clicks. If a recruiting manager chooses not to use it, he or she will need to keep a separate record of the outcome. A Short-listing Form is available on the intranet Once the short-list has been agreed the interview arrangements should be finalised (if this has not be happened already) and notified to the candidates. Again, it is recommended that NHS Jobs is used for this purpose. At least one member of the interview panel must have attended the appropriate recruitment training. The chair of the panel should select members of the panel on this premise. Recruitment training should be current and refreshed appropriately in line with changes to legislation or business needs The recruiting manager will need to set the date, timing and venue of the interviews and arrange for the attendance of other panel members. He or she will also need to consider the format and focus of the interviews e.g. will there be a presentation and, if so, what will be the subject? Is there a genuine requirement for specific tests, etc? Consideration will need to be given to alternative arrangements in the event that any of the candidates are unable to attend on the chosen date. There will also be a need to consider Page 15 of 34

16 any reasonable adjustments that might be required for candidates with a disability. Examples might include issues around access, induction loop facilities, making documentation available in large type or Braille, etc. Advice is available from HR if required A member of the recruitment panel should take responsibility for taking copies of identity document, eligibility to work in the UK and qualifications, refer to Appendix 3. A brief guide to interviewing is available on the intranet but the key principles are that the interviews should take place in an appropriate environment, free of distractions and interruptions. Interviews should be formal but relaxed and should give all candidates the same opportunity to demonstrate their suitability (or otherwise) for the post through a mixture of open and closed questions that explore the required qualities or attributes As with short-listing, the panel should determine the best candidate on the basis of scores against the pre-determined criteria and recorded on the Interview Assessment Form. Scores may be taken individually to produce a majority decision or aggregated across panel members but any significant variance in scores for the same candidate should be carefully explored before reaching the final decision. Scoring sheets, notes and other documents used in the selection process are subject to disclosure and should be retained securely by HR for a minimum of 12 months after interview. Under the Data Protection Act 1998, candidates have a right to request personal information held on them via the appropriate Information Governance procedure. 2.9 Appointment Having selected the preferred candidate(s), the recruiting manager should contact the individual(s) concerned to make a verbal and conditional offer of employment. The conditions are: i. That all pre-employment checks are satisfactorily completed, refer to Appendix 3. ii. That the salary, hours of work, location, etc. are as advertised. The candidate should be asked for an indication of whether they intend to accept the post but should be advised not to hand in their notice until they receive a firm offer of employment, in writing, from HR. If they have not given permission to contact referees, permission should be sought at this point The panel should also agree who will contact the unsuccessful candidates (taking account of the potential need for a reserve) and respond to any requests for feedback In the event that the preferred candidate seeks to negotiate any aspect of the terms and conditions of employment, they should be advised that these are governed by national agreements. Limited discretion is available in respect of some of the terms, as described in paragraph 9.4. All discussions about terms and conditions should be concluded before the candidate takes up the post as there is no scope for post-employment negotiation Previous NHS service will automatically be taken into account in determining starting salary and annual leave entitlement. It should be noted that there is no facility to simply match a previous salary; the discretion available to recruiting managers is limited to: i. The starting salary for all new appointments is the minimum point of the pay band for the post. Pay on promotion should be set either at the minimum of the new pay band or, if this would result in no pay increase, the first pay point in the band that would deliver an increase in pay. Page 16 of 34

17 ii. iii. iv. However, managers have the discretion to take account of previous service that is both relevant to the new role and was at the same level in terms of grade or competency. Each full year of previous service taken into account for this purpose will have the effect of increasing the starting salary by one incremental point, up to a maximum consistent with the provision on pay progression in Annex W of AfC for the relevant pay band. Annual leave is defined in the national agreement, according to length of service. However, managers have the discretion to take account of relevant previous service (non NHS) in the calculation of annual leave entitlements. Managers may also consider exercising some discretion around the hours of work, both in terms of total hours and the distribution of those hours, or location. Such discretion must be consistent with effective delivery of the role, other HSCIC policies and safe working practices. The exercise of any or all of the above discretions should take careful account of cost, equity, business needs, the job market and the risk of establishing expectations or precedents for the future. v. Advice should be sought from HR on any negotiated terms and conditions prior to them being agreed with the candidate No other variation to salary or terms and conditions of employment will be allowed except with the express approval of the Remco or the Chief Executive and Executive Director of Workforce acting on their behalf Recruiting managers should check references, at least one of which must be from the current or most recent employer, to confirm that the preferred candidate is suitable for the post. The reference form offers further advice for applicants with no recent employment history. Ideally NHS Jobs requires a minimum of two referees to be recorded in all applications but, in practice, only one reference need be taken up for internal HSCIC candidates. HR will arrange pre-employment medical clearance for external candidates and verify the pre-employment documentation supplied by the recruiting manager. Any issues that arise will be discussed with the candidate and the recruiting manager The recruiting manager should HR the Interview Outcome Form once the preferred candidate has been identified. Any discussion about terms and conditions should be concluded by the recruiting manager, with confirmation of the start date by to HR so that the formal offer letter and contract of employment can be issued The recruiting manager should also complete as much of the New Starter s process as possible at this stage, so that all of the paperwork can be completed without delay on the first day of employment. This is essential to ensure that the new starter has access to a desk, telephone, PC and other requirements; and that they are put onto the ESR and payroll system. The system will also ensure that the new starter is booked into the corporate induction programme and other mandatory training. Access to the new starter system and supporting guidance is via the intranet (Link) The first day of employment should be seen as an opportunity to begin local induction, highlighting key issues, processes or policies and introducing the new starter to other colleagues in the team. This is also an opportunity for an initial, informal, discussion about early objectives and potential development needs. Page 17 of 34

18 2.10 Interview Expenses Interview expenses will not normally be paid; however, consideration will be given to hard to fill roles and internal candidates. For example, an employee at risk of redundancy travelling to a different location for interview to secure suitable alternative employment within the NHS or an employee attending interview for promotional opportunity/lateral move within the HSCIC Relocation Expenses This section covers relocation expenses as it relates to new employees joining the HSCIC Expenses will be payable to employees who need to move home in order to take up employment with the HSCIC. It will be paid to assist the recruitment of highly skilled and experienced staff to key posts The scope and level of the assistance will be determined by HSCIC, in consultation with the individual, prior to the post being accepted Normally the assistance to be provided will conform to the list of expenses and benefits qualifying for exemption from Income Tax and National Insurance as allowed by HM Revenue and Customs. Additional expenses may be approved by Remco where there is a particular difficulty in recruitment The HSCIC will require an employee to repay all or pro-rata of relocation expenses if the employee leaves the organisation within two years of the appointment that gave rise to their expense Eligibility i. Relocation expenses will be payable to staff joining the HSCIC at Agenda for Change Band 8 or above. ii. Relocation expenses will normally only be paid if the existing property is further than 45 miles radius from of the new base and intend to move more than 20 miles closer to base location or travel time from home to new base is in excess of 1 hour calculated at the usual time of travel. Page 18 of 34

19 Appendix 1: Recruiting Process JOH-OBK LV-X1 APPENDIX 1: RECRUITING PROCESS Recruiting process 1 Vacancy Identification Activity Recruiting Manager familiarise themselves with the Recruitment and Deployment Policy and Procedure (link) Identify vacancy, define skills, experience and grade per position, based on generic job descriptions (JD). N/B: For a new role that requires a new or revised JD, development and approval for job matching and evaluation purposes may take up to 4 weeks. Responsibility RM Minimum duration (in no. of days) Documents/tools for use Job spec Vacancy Approval Planning and Advertising Selection Process/ Short-listing Ability Tests Schedule and Conduct Interviews Confirm Offer Pre-Employment Checks Make offer to candidate RM seeks approval from relevant ED and forwards approved RR form to HR HR review RR form and job specification. Confirm if evaluated under AfC, System notifies ED of approval and recruitment is in progress RM completes section B of the RR form and forwards the job advert for publication and Recruitment Planner, i.e. panel and dates for interview, shortlist and testing (where required) to HR. Panel meet to short-list all applicants, then short-list to HR. HR provide RM with contact details of short-listed candidates and send s to all unsuccessful candidates. Setup appropriate testing as required for successful applicants. E.g. Candidates take SHL test within 1 week and HR communicate results to RM. Communicate interview date to applicants & panel. Business Support to administer SHL verification test and RM to conduct interviews. RM verifies candidate s identity, right to work and relevant qualification Agree outcome, make offer to successful candidate at bottom of band. RM notifies unsuccessful applicants and provides feedback upon request. Complete and send IO Form to HR, HR send out conditional offer Take up references (Internal and External) Medical clearance Once pre-employment checks are satisfactory, RM to confirm start date with applicant. RM informs HR of start date, HR sends employment pack. RM/ED HR Nintex RM/HR RM RM/ Panel HR HR Candidate/ HR RM RM RM RM RM/HR * RM- Recruiting Manager *RR form- Recruitment Resource form * ED- Executive Director *JD- Job Description * Panel- Short-listing/Interviewing Panel *Job Spec- JD & Person Specification RM HR RM HR Approved RR form Job description (JD template) Section B of RR form (job advert and recruitment planner (IRR) NHSjobs Short-listing form (short-list) Regret after short-list SHL Guidance and set up Interview Guidance for Candidates (Guidelines) Scoring Sheets Pre-employment checks manager s guide Interview outcome (IO) form (IO) Regret after interview letter Conditional offer letter Reference form (reference) Capita medical questionnaire Unconditional offer letter Contract of employment NHS Pension booklet and questionnaire Page 19 of 34

20 Appendix 2: Recruitment Process Flowchart Page 20 of 34

21 Appendix 3: Pre-Employment Checks Recruiting managers are required to check all original documents for authenticity and then write original seen by, printing their name, signing and dating all copied documents. For Identification documents a copy of the document s front cover and page containing the holder s personal details should also be copied and verifier write I confirm this is a true likeness and original seen by, print name, sign and date. Employment Checks Standard 1 Verification of identity checks Acceptable documents Verification of identity checks are designed to: determine that the identity is genuine and relates to a real person establish that the individual owns and is rightfully using that identity. Prospective employees must provide acceptable original documents containing photograph and current address. They will need to provide either of these 2 combinations: 2 forms of photographic personal identification and 1 document confirming address; or 1 form of photographic personal identification and 2 documents confirming address. Where an individual genuinely is unable to provide any acceptable photographic personal identification, then the following should be provided: 2 forms of non-photographic personal identification, 2 documents confirming their address and a passport-sized photograph of themselves. Please refer to the relevant guidance link. 2 Right to work checks Prospective employees must provide original documentation authenticating right to work in the UK. Recruiting managers are required to copy and sign document(s) are described above. Please refer to the relevant guidance link. 3 Qualification checks Qualification check is to verify the information about education or professional qualification that a prospective employee provides on their application form. Prospective employees are required to provide original certificates and recruiting managers are required to check that qualification match the person specification, copy and sign document(s) are described above. 4 Employment history and reference checks 5 Work health assessments Applicants are to provide references covering a minimum of 3 years continuous employment and/or training history. Ideally you should aim to check a period which covers two separate employers (where possible), one of which should be from the applicant s current or most recent employer. Where an individual has been with one employer for three years or more, one reference may be sufficient. Recruiting managers are required to obtain reference in writing (i.e. company letter via post or or standardised form). Electronic reference received via NHS Job reference may be accepted provided reference is from a bona fide company. Where employer references are not available or applicant has been in full time education within the last 3 years, a personal statement should be sought using template at Appendix 5, and two personal references from referees of some standing in the community who have known the individual for at least 3 years (for example, doctor, lawyer, MP or minister of religion, etc.). If they have been in full-time education in the last 5 years, a reference should be obtained from the relevant school, college or university. Prospective employees must complete the on-line occupational health questionnaire. Page 21 of 34

22 3 References 3.1 Introduction References are intended to provide factual information and an objective assessment of the performance of an individual HR is available to give advice and guidance to managers seeking or providing references. Managers should always seek advice from HR if there are any doubts in the process Whilst there is no strict legal obligation on the HSCIC to provide any kind of reference to a third party, we have a responsibility to treat employees fairly and there may be legal consequences of refusing to do so in particular cases. We will, consequently, (where records exist) normally provide references for existing or former employees, including agency workers who are already working in the HSCIC in the case of internal applications The HSCIC is most often asked to provide references for employees in relation to employment. However, references may also be requested for purposes other than employment, such as in support of academic or further study, financial information for mortgage purposes or when renting accommodation. Prior to providing any salary related information, HR should be consulted. The general principles outlined in this guidance apply to all references. 3.2 Principles Referees have a responsibility to be truthful, include only what is accurate, true, fair and reasonable and to prepare the reference with an appropriate degree of care Existing employees should obtain the permission of the member of staff they intend to nominate as a referee before they submit their application. Similarly, line managers should obtain permission from the member of staff before submitting a reference Normally all references written by an employee of the HSCIC will be available on request to the individual concerned as part of the HSCIC s principles on openness and transparency. However, when an individual or organisation requesting a reference insists on confidentiality, this will be respected in order not to disadvantage candidates. 3.3 Procedure for Taking up References - When to take up references References should not be considered before selecting the preferred candidate(s) but must be obtained and reviewed prior to an unconditional offer being made. 3.4 Format A copy of the job description and person specification for the post will be sent to the candidate s referees for information. He or she will be requested to provide information on the candidate related to the criteria on the person specification and the job description, including the nature of the work undertaken, quality of their work, attendance /sickness Page 22 of 34

23 record, if there are any current disciplinary warnings or sanctions and working relationship with colleagues Letters to referees must follow a standard format. A template is attached at Appendix Referees/References Acceptable to the HSCIC All external reference are to validate a minimum of three years continuous employment and /or training including details of any gaps in service. In the event that any of the references contains information that is negative or adverse to the candidate, or if the information received contradicts information provided by the candidate, The Employment Practices Code states employers should not automatically assume the information obtained from a third party is correct. The recruiting manager should seek to obtain further references and/or should (if appropriate) interview the applicant a second time to question him/her about the discrepancies It is normal practice for references to be sought for the preferred candidate only. However, there may be circumstances where more than one candidate is considered appointable. In this case references can be sought for more than one candidate One referee must be the candidate s line manager from his or her current or most recent employment. Where a preferred candidate has been in paid employment but does not provide a referee from his or her current or most recent employer, the HSCIC reserves the right to contact that employer. In some circumstances, it may also be appropriate to take up a reference from another or earlier employer. Permission must be sought from the candidate before contacting a referee other than the nominated referees. Where the candidate has been with one employer for three years or more, one reference may be sufficient Applicants who are school leavers or graduates may nominate head teachers, lecturers, tutors and any temporary or work experience employer as appropriate. It may be appropriate for applicants who have not been in paid employment to nominate referees from relevant unpaid employment such as voluntary or community work. Where employer references are not available or applicant has been in full time education within the last 3 years, a personal statement should be sought using template at Appendix 5, and two personal references from referees of some standing in the community who have known the individual for at least 3 years (for example, doctor, lawyer, MP or minister of religion, etc.) If the candidate is an existing employee, his or her manager External references will not be required. NHS Jobs requires a minimum of two referees to be recorded in all applications but, in practice, only one reference need be taken up for internal candidates Written references (or failure of written references being returned) may be followed up by telephone references. Telephone references should always be subject to the referee being asked for confirmation in writing. In instances when a written reference is requested but not received, a file note should be made, which is signed and dated, summarising the nature and content of a verbal reference. It must be sent to HR to file with the candidate s details Character references from friends, relatives, peers or subordinates are not acceptable Open references/testimonials are not usually acceptable. They should be used warily as they can be subjective, inaccurate and unrelated to the job description and person specification. In these circumstances, references following the above guidelines should be sought The originals of references must be sent to HR to file with the candidate s details. Page 23 of 34