Employment Relations The Issues - Autumn 2011

1. Employment RelationsThe Issues - Autumn 2011 Stewards Conference 12 November Josie Irwin Head of Employment Relations

2. Context • Exceptional and extraordinary times • The only constant is change • Perceptions • Of Nursing • Of nurses • Relationship between staff and patient experience • Staff feeling positive about their working environment are more likely to work efficiently and effectively • Patients report more satisfaction with care • Achieving the best possible deal for members the goal

3. Changing working lives • Scale of change • 17% experienced new shift patterns, 20% expected it • 15% experienced new roles, 20% expected new roles • 3% down-banded, 7% expected to be down-banded • 32% said nursing would provide secure job for the future (74% 09) • 44% would recommend nursing as a career (60% 09) • 52% said levels of RNs had decreased • 54% said too much time on non-nursing duties (44% 09) • 92% reported regularly working extra hours • Violent assaults on nurses up again

4. Achieving the best possible deal • NHS Pensions • Pay terms and conditions • Locally holding the line • Nationally seeking to ‘compromise without being compromised’ • Pay Review Body • Challenge of ongoing restraint in inflationary times • Reforms, structural change • Managing transition • Retaining and valuing reps

5. Proposals for change to AfC • Employers • The system/processes for incremental progression – more explicit link to performance • Effective management of sickness absence – no unsocial hours pay for sickness absence • ‘Flexing the working week’ – changing the time at which USH start and finish • Annual leave - less • Staff side • Sustainable staffing levels – process and principles to support re-profiling & prevent down-banding • Learning and development – protected time

6. Round Table Discussion

7. Round Table Discussion