NORTH EAST ESSEX PCT
MINUTES OF THE JOINT STAFF COMMITTEE
Date:7th March 2007: 2.30pm
Venue: Kennedy House
Present: Alan Mack Director of Corporate Development &
Governance - Chair
George Hickman UNISON – Staff Chair
Marion Martin UNISON
Tom Weston UNISON
Gary McGuire UNISON
Marion Foord BAOT/UNISON
Sally Fovargue British Dietetic Association
Emad Yousif BMA
Duncan Mbadzo CSP
Martina Watson AMICUS
Marianne Inkpen Interim Head of Human Resources
Jill Knight Human Resources
Faye Gerrie Assistant Director of Learning
Disabilities
Denise Peggs Interim Head of Children’s Services
In Attendance: Julie Burton, HR Manager
Minutes Rachel Stinson, Senior HR Adviser
1. Apologies: Wendy Tankard, Lynne Woodcock, Paul Zollinger –Read, Katie
Collins, Lisa Southgate, David Brown
2. Minutes of the Previous Meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting were checked for accuracy and agreed as
accurate
3. Matters Arising
3.1 Location
The issues of location are being looked at and space planning is to be
undertaken at the Crescent. There will be no move during the early part of the
financial year.
3.2 Policies
The Board have agreed that the JSC can draft and agree policies and they will
just require a summary of the changes for approval. The policies will be made
available for the Board in case they wish to clarify any points.
4. CPLNHS
The process should be completed by the first week of April. As a number of posts
in the former PCT’s had been frozen, it is hoped there will be few staff placed at
risk of redundancy. Unions and the Department of Trade and Industry will be
written to stating the potential number of redundancies, if any, once the position
was clearer.
5. Financial Position
The PCT has recently submitted month 10, control total information. Have
slipped back by a further half a million against the control total. Need to look at
year-end position and LDP in terms of finance gaps in funding streams.
6. LD Services
Need to look at options and models available and preferred direction of travel.
The PCT will need to demonstrate value for money and all stakeholders will need
to be consulted. The staff side will share their thoughts on the future with the
PCT
7. Walk in Centre/Out of Hours - Tenders
The questions Unions wanted to ask were answered at the staff meeting on
Monday 5th March.
8. Mileage Grid
New guidance on the claiming of mileage travelling allowances was handed out
at the meeting. This has been developed as it appears that staff, are claiming
mileage in different ways. It is intended to publicise this shortly and it was agreed
that the mileage form would be reviewed and sent out with the new guidance.
Action: Comments to Alan by 15th March (All)
Julie to liaise with Malcolm Young re design of new form
9. Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure
A number of staff who, transferred to the PCT have still not had CRB checks.
Need to look at whether it is a statutory requirement to do retrospective checks
and also the risk involved in not doing these checks. Retrospective checks had
previously been undertaken. However, it was also acknowledged that we deal
with very vulnerable patients in LD and good practice would suggest that we
need to reinstate these checks. It was agreed that as the majority of those not
checked are in Learning Disabilities Faye would do a risk assessment and bring
this back to the next JSC. Alan would take it to Directors meeting.
Action: Faye to do a risk assessment
Alan to take to Directors meeting
10. Reimbursement of staff property losses
A member of staff had lost personal property during the move from Turner Road
to the Crescent and this had not been resolved. It was agreed that this would be
discussed further outside the meeting
11. HR Policies
Annual Leave Policy – this was agreed but cross reference to the sick policy and
disciplinary policy would be added
Staff side had not had time to look at the other policies (Maternity Leave, Flexible
Working, Bullying & Harassment, Special Leave) so it was agreed that they
would look at these outside the meeting and any comments should be passed to
Julie Burton by 16th March so that a summary could be presented to the Board
12. Any Other Business
Charitable Trust – Marion Martin will lead until further notice
Time off for union activities – it was agreed that the policy should be reviewed in
light of increased activities for union members.
Pay Award – details are on the NHS Employers website
Unsocial Hours payment – proposals are on the NHS Employers website
13. Date and Time of next meeting
Wednesday 9th May, 2.30pm at The Crescent