Human Resources – January 2007
Recommendation
That the Hospital Advisory Committee note this report.
Activity
January is traditionally a quieter month, which provided a welcome opportunity to follow up on outstanding items following the hectic end-of-year period. Completion of work related to the organisational restructure, data requests for national negotiations in progress and on-boarding a large number of new staff were all progressed during the month. Employment Relations looks to be a prominent feature on the landscape for 2007, with a number of significant negotiations currently in progress and initiation for several key documents that expire during 2007 expected shortly.
Sustaining and Nurturing the Health & Disability Workforce
• There was one generic orientation held in January, with 52 new staff attending (44 registered).
• In the event of industrial action, the Code of Good Faith for the DHB sector provides the ability to ensure life preserving services are available during the period of industrial action. The Government has now sanctioned changes to the definition of life preserving services which provide for its extension to also cover situations where permanent disability is a possibility. A copy of the Order in Counsel has been received.
• The designated Senior Nurse job titles and transition process that was recommended as the outcome of the DHBNZ / NZNO working party looking at this issue have now been endorsed by the DHB Chief Executives and NZNO nurses and midwives in designated senior positions. The titles are to be used at DHBs for all senior nurse/midwife positions (as defined by the NZNO MECA) from 28 February 2007. The work undertaken will see the reduction in the over 50 currently used nursing titles to a maximum of 15 nationally. Letters will be sent to affected members detailing the changes.
Developing Workforce Capability
• ODHB Pay and Employment Equity Review Committee held its first meeting on 25 and 26 January 2007. The first day was devoted to training with Victoria Gregory from the Department of Labour delivering Module 3 of the Pay & Employment Equity national training package. On the second day the Review Committee considered a range of issues, including adopting the “Working Together Agreement” in principle; Project and Communication plans; and a preliminary scan of pay and employment equity within the Otago DHB. Work was also completed on a draft staff survey aimed for circulation in early February; it is recognised that it will not be a statistically reliable survey, but it will be used as part of the first phase of consultation to give all staff an opportunity to have some initial input and to identify issues which may need closer examination.
Activities planned for February include issuing a staff communication to inform them of the project and seek engagement; distribution of the finalised survey; and analysis of payroll data for identified occupational groupings. The second Review Committee meeting is scheduled for 13 February.
• The State Services Commission is currently in the process of developing a new Code of Conduct and Integrity which is to apply right across the state sector, including district health boards. Members of the Otago HR team met with the Commission on 16 January to provide input to the draft Code, followed by representatives from some of the unions that represent our employees. The Code is due for release in July 2007.
Employment Relations
Medical Radiation Technologists MECA APEX
The parties met again for a day on 30 January to attempt to progress negotiations for this MECA. Further meetings will be scheduled.
Medical Laboratory Workers MECA Medical Laboratory Workers Union
Discussions regarding this document have been in hiatus over the Christmas period, and dates are yet to be set to resume negotiations. It is hoped that the parties will reconvene in late February. There are still a number of outstanding issues, including remuneration, coverage and some conditions of employment.
Radiation Therapists MECA APEX
The prospective settlement reached by the parties has now been ratified. We will now move towards implementation of the document, which extends until 6 June 2008.
Senior Medical Officers MECA ASMS
Negotiations are scheduled to continue on 7 February. A significant gap remains between the parties.
National Service and Food Workers MECA (including Private Providers) Service and Food Workers Union
Progress is slow in these negotiations, with the key issue remaining the Unions’ desire to obtain a national MECA and the DHBs’ refusal to accept that claim. Discussions about terms and conditions are in abeyance until this issue is resolved. Further talks are scheduled for 26/27 February.
Trades
PSA & AWUNZ
Because the parties have not been able to reach agreement on key financial parameters mediation is scheduled for February in an attempt to resolve the current impasse.
Pharmacy NDU
Negotiations are scheduled to continue on 9 February. Few issues remain outstanding.
Nurses & Midwives National MECA NZNO
Formal talks for this document commenced on 11 December 2006. These concentrated on the Bargaining Process Agreement. Negotiations are scheduled to continue on 19 February.
Midwives National MECA MERAS
Negotiations commenced on 24 January, with the first meeting concentrating primarily on the Bargaining Process Agreement. Discussions are scheduled to continue on 7 and 8 March.
Medical Physicists MECA APEX
Initiation for renegotiation of this national document covering the six cancer centres has been received from the union. Preparation has commenced. Alan Clarke from Otago has been appointed as the employer advocate for these negotiations.
Cardiac Pulmonary Technologists MECA APEX
Notice of initiation of bargaining has been received from the union for renegotiation of this document, which expires on 31 March 2007. Preparation has commenced.
Kitchen Services AWUNZ
Notice of initiation of bargaining has been received from the union for this local document, which expires on 1 March 2007. Preparation for negotiations has commenced.
Individual Employment Agreements
Clerical and Allied Health individual employment agreement negotiations are continuing with individual staff members, with information provided and meetings to be held with individual employees to progress discussions.
Karyn Penno
January 2007 PROGRESS PROJECT Be hi nd On t a rg et Co m p le te COMMENT
SUSTAINING AND NUTURING THE HEALTH & DISABILITY WORKFORCE
Employer Branding 9 Five themes identified, diversity identified as key theme to progress. Brand
concept due for completion in December.
Workforce Profiling 9 Final profile of ODHB Provider Arm workforce yet to be completed. Work has not
yet commenced on stocktake of primary sector workforce. Report to be provided to Board on provider arm nursing workforce planning due to be compiled following completion of workforce profile.
Building Healthy Workplaces
9 Project identified as Aging Workforce; local project to echo national focus on
creating flexible workplaces (focus on family friendly workplaces and aging workforce) has been put on hold pending outcome of current organizational restructure process.
HR Intranet site 9 ODHB external website now operational. Work on the HR internal intranet site to
now resume.
eRecruitment 9 Assessment of way forward to be completed following withdrawal of key project
member.
Joint Clinical Staff 9 Information provided to University regarding Code of Conduct; signoff by individual
joint clinical staff to be progressed by University HR team.
Bipartite Relationships 9 ODHB to continue to attempt to reconvene working party.
DEVELOPING WORKFORCE CAPABILITY
Health Workforce Information Programme (HWIP)
9 First national dataset released, request for second quarter data has been received.
Workforce Strategy Groups
9 Groups to be convened. Process will commence following confirmation of ODHB
management and leadership structure. Pay & Employment Equity
Review
9 First communications issued, preliminary data sourced; Committee convened and
working towards delivery of identified project outcomes.
Learning & Development 9 Identification of resource requirements to be progressed; links with proposed
Knowledge Centre. Regional standardization
of HR policies and procedures
9 Informal sharing and collaboration currently occurring. Formal process to be commenced depending on confirmation of shared services environment.
Future Workforce 9 No FW Dashboard for January
House Surgeons
Total Vacancies across groups
House Officers 53.0 53.0 50.0 50.0 3.0
Registrars 118.2 118.2 110.0 108.8 9.4
Senior Medical Officers 198.3 127.5 151.0 112.1 16.0
Rhonda Skilling, RMO Unit Manager
1)The RMO Unit is preparing for the second quarter of the 2007 year, which begins 26 February 2007. Several House Officers have resigned from their positions (1 leaving to join a locum agency, 1 leaving to begin GP training and 1 promoted to Registrar) and so the Unit has had to source additional staff at a time of year where there are few RMOs wishing to change employers. Unfortunately several of the staff whom have been hired to replace those leaving, and to also fill the current vacant positions, have been delayed thereby requiring the Unit to employ 2 locums for a period of 4 weeks each.
2) The RMO Unit is currently preparing for the annual RMO roadshow (this annual event is attended by RMO Unit staff from all DHBs and its purpose is to attract Trainee Interns to apply for positions for the following year).
(2) There are currently a number of Joint Clinical Staff (who work for Otago DHB and Dunedin School of Medicine) Most are 0.5, but the FTE can vary for each person.
A pprov ed 2006 es tabl is hm ent (f ul l-ti m e equi v a lent ) Current 2006 s taf fi ng (ac tual doc to rs )
(3) Actual Doctors: There is an opportunity to double count 'actual doctors' where individual doctors work in more than one area. Where this happens, they are counted in the area where they spend most time. The FTE calculations are accurate.
(4) There are a number of SMO vacancies with explanations noted next to these on the SMO Table. Ongoing recruitment is taking place for these but unfortunately, as with RMOs, some positions appear to be easier to fill than others Current 2006 s taf fi ng (f ul l-ti m e equi v a lent ) Current v a c anc ie s (f ul l t im e equi v a lent )
Medical Staff - Notes to Resident Medical Officer (RMO) and
Senior Medical Officer (SMO) Vacancies Report for January
2007
SMO Vacancies Report - Consultants and Medical Officers
Registrars
(1) The SMO establishment includes ODHB employees, joint clinical staff and locums. It does not include casuals, visiting specialists, contractors, or specialists on access agreements or honorary appointments.
RMO Vacancies Report - House Surgeons and Registrars
The Registrar year seems to have started well with those who were delayed now here and working well. Several vacancies from December have now been filled and it is expected those hired will begin at the end of January
RMO and SMO Groups Tot a l E s tabl is hm ent by B udget Code
Occupational Health & Safety – January 2007
The department was closed until January 8th.
Annual ACC Partnership Programme Report
Action plan following auditors report
Recommendations from the auditors report will be actioned during this current year and progress recorded.
An action plan will be prepared and tabled at the Health and Safety Steering Committee meeting during February for approval and comments.
New claims registered via WorkAon
Claims lodged by division
Division Number of claims Days lost Medical cost Estimated cost Total paid Rehabilitation (Outpatients) 2 0 $259.18 $259.18 $259.18
Emergency Department 1 0 Nil Nil Nil
ENT 1 0 Nil Nil Nil
Building & Property 1 0 Nil Nil Nil
Orthopaedics 1 0 Nil Nil Nil
Generic cost centre 7 0 Nil $1556.13 Nil
Injury Management - Work-Related Accidents
Serious harm notifications – work-related injuries
One notifications of serious harm was reported during January
Injury Type Number Comments
Back strain 1 Nursing staff member injured during patient handling
Manager has updated manual handling training
Department of Labour notified and have responded – will not be investigating incident
Shoulder strain 1 Support staff member injured during patient handling
Department of Labour notified and have responded - will not be investigating incident
Total Serious Harm Notifications 2 .
Work-Related Accident by type
A total of 34 work-related injuries were reported during the month of January. This figure is slightly higher than the number of accidents reported each month for the previous six months. - It is likely that this is due to the late reporting of eight incidents that occurred as far back as October 2006.
(Note: this does not include reports of Blood and Body Fluid Exposure which are reported separately via the Infection Control Committee).
JANUARY 2007 INJURY BY TYPE 11 13 1 2 3 0 5 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Back pai n Hand/ arm /shoul der Serious har m Other Fac e/head Bu rn leg /hip/ knee JANUARY 2007 ACCIDENT BY TYPE 15 5 0 9 3 1 2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 Patient handling Slip/trip/fall Manual handling Industrial handling
Restraint Assault Other
Stephanie Pomfret
