Scottish Government

Staff Governance Working Group
( SGWG)

To put in place measures to ensure the delivery of exemplary employment practices, so that staff, regardless of their age, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender or sexual orientation:

• are well informed
• are appropriately trained
• are involved in decisions which affect them
• are treated fairly and consistently
• have a safe working environment.

The work of these four groups to be combined into one group, to be called the Scottish Workforce and Staff Governance Committee ( SWAG), which will be a sub-group of the SPF. SWAG will have overall responsibility for work to ensure the delivery of the Staff Governance Standard. It will be a practical work-based committee co-chaired by the Chief Nursing Officer and Interim Director of HR, and the SWAG secretariat should include representatives from the trade unions and professional organisations and representatives from the Directors of HR, NHSScotland.

Partnership Information Network Board
( PIN) Board

Prepare modern guidance on issues relating to people management in NHSScotland.

Employment Law Advisory Group
( ELAG)

Provide informed commentary on proposed new or amended legislation issued for consultation. Identify relevant new case law and carry out detailed work around how forthcoming legal developments might impact on the service.
Communicate with the service to alert them to aspects of proposed legislation that are likely to impact on the service.

Occupational Health and Safety Strategy Implementation Group
( OHSSIG)

Oversee on behalf of the HRF the implementation of the OHSS Strategy in the service. Responsible for ensuring the action points are met within the set timescale and that the strategy is working and making a difference. Tasked with ensuring that staff locally are actively involved in the process.

• Labour Market Supply and Demand

• Work by Sir John Arbuthnott, supported by ASD

• National Workforce Planning

• Work taken forward by WoNuG. Need to link with service and finance planning

• Commissioning Plan for Education

• Taken forward by a range of stakeholders from health and education sectors

• Workforce Redesign

• Led by Alex McMahon, supported by various stakeholders

• Careers, Recruitment and Retention

• Led by Patricia Leiser, steering group includes trade unions & professional organisations, HR Services, SEHD

• Workforce Performance and Effectiveness

• Work by SEHD Pay Modernisation team involving various stakeholders

• Workforce Observatory

• Professor Jim Buchan led the establishment, Caroline Fox SEHD overseeing ongoing development

• Occupational, Professional and Regulatory Standards

• OPRS led by CNO, informed by various stakeholders

To be taken forward in partnership by CNO

• Modernising Medical Careers

• Overseen by MMCScotland Delivery Group, chaired by Professor Stuart MacPherson, and accountable to the NWC

Learning and Development Group

The original group met only once and there was significant overlap between it and a work stream of the NWC. The SPF will take an overview of Learning and Development and link it to Education and Learning.

Diversity Task Force
( DTF)

Provide strategic leadership to NHSScotland managers and act as an enabler to facilitate culture change at every level within NHSScotland. The DTF will also work to promote and share good practice with other public and private sector employers. Ensure that all NHSS employers are equipped and encouraged to effectively promote NHS values related to diversity and equality of employment opportunity to all staff and external stakeholders.

It has five key work areas related to raising awareness of diversity and inclusion with NHSScotland. All of the work-streams will continue either as part of the DTF or as part of the work programme of the Workforce Directorate.

The DTF is reviewing its remit and membership but will continue to be the vehicle to drive forward Equality and Diversity through the workforce. Its work will be sponsored by the policy lead for Reputation and Attraction.

Scottish Pay Reference and Implementation Group
( SPRIG)

Act as a partnership-based reference group to help inform, oversee, co-ordinate and implement pay modernisation in NHSScotland, focusing in particular on:

• broadening engagement with and understanding of the Agenda for Change package within Scotland;
• provision of advice and support for preparatory work undertaken within NHS Boards;
• provision of advice and support for Pay Modernisation Directors and their teams;
• provision of a co-ordinating role in liaison with pay modernisation Teams to ensure consistent advice across the service;
• monitoring of the impact of pay modernisation on a Scottish basis;
• forging of effective links with implementation initiatives as undertaken elsewhere in the UK, and with relevant Scottish bodies such as the HRF and SPF.

This is a time limited group whose work should be mainstreamed by the end of 2006.

Agenda for Change Guidance and Interpretation Group

Recognised as a subgroup of SPRIG, and as such is a time-limited group. In the future, advice on the interpretation of national agreements and development of employment policies related to Agenda for Change should be taken to the STAC.

Terms and Conditions Committee

Provide accurate and consistent advice to NHSScotland on matters relating to the new terms and conditions under Agenda for Change.
Responsible for highlighting areas within the AfC Agreement that require a Scottish-wide solution and highlighting terms and conditions relevant to NHSScotland that are not contained within the Agreement. Pass these issues together with suggested solutions to the Terms and Conditions Policy Group for consideration and final agreement.
Receive and channel enquiries from NHSScotland to ensure that consistency in approach is achieved in the implementation of Agenda for Change.

The issue of negotiations is discussed in a separate chapter of this report.

Scottish Pensions Review Group
( SPensIR)

Set up to look at the proposals of the new NHS Pension Scheme. This group is an ad hoc shortlife working group.

Working Group whose work will be reported to the Partnership Secretariat.

HR Conference Planning Committee / Partnership Conference Planning Group

To be reviewed.

Shared Services / Logistics
/ Best Procurement Initiative Group

Taken forward in partnership by the Policy Lead for Finance and E-Health.