The Christie NHS FT Annual Report & Accounts 2019-20

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust Annual Report & Accounts 2019-20

forums are held to engage with our union partners to share information about the direction of the organisation and to gain feedback and support. If there is a concern in relation to an employee who has potentially undertaken a fraudulent act this would be investigated through the Trust disciplinary policy. Concerns can also be dealt with by our counter fraud team.

Staff Policies During 2019-20 the following employment policies were updated: Pay Progression, Probationary Periods, Special Leave (including the Inclement weather policy), Disability in Employment, Organisational Change, Recruitment and Selection, Grievance Resolution, Maternity, Paternity & Adoption Policy, Improving Performance, Staff Flu Vaccination Policy, Alcohol, Drug and Substance Misuse Policy, Raising Concerns, Menstruation to Menopause, Supporting Staff affected by Domestic Abuse and the PDR policy. In addition, we have a number of policies in operation that support our workforce. The equality and diversity policy provides our commitment to treat everyone with compassion, dignity and respect, and to ensure that we promote a fair culture. Each person is an individual, whether they are a patient, a visitor or a colleague, and each has their own different needs from the services we provide or from their employment. This includes employment, training, promotion, and general treatment. All policies are assessed to establish the equality impact, to ensure all groups are treated fairly and consistently, and where appropriate reasonable adjustments are considered. For example, our recruitment and selection policy is underpinned by the achievement of the Disability Confident Scheme (Level 2) which provides our commitment to employing and retaining disabled people and ensuring this commitment is reflected in all recruitment practices. We work in collaboration with our staff and consult where decisions are likely to have an impact on individuals. Our organisational change policy, in particular, provides mechanisms for consultation with recognised trade union and professional association representatives as well as our staff. We work in partnership with our staff-side representatives which include a number of recognised trade unions. Regular staff

Our sickness absence data

Figures Converted by DH to Best Estimates of Required Data Items Average full time

Adjusted FTE days lost to Cabinet Office definitions

Average Sick Days per FTE

equivalent (FTE) 2019

2,758

24,063

8.7

To ensure our staff feel able and confident to raise concerns they can access the Trust’s Freedom To Speak Up Guardian. The Freedom to Speak Up Guardian provides confidential support and advice to any member of staff thinking about raising a concern. In addition, we have a network of staff advisers, who are independent sources of advice and support for any employee who wishes to raise a concern about the manner in which they have been treated. We encourage our workforce to be involved in our performance, and frequently gain their opinion and feedback through our annual staff survey, through regular engagement events and our quarterly friends and family test which indicated on average in 2018-19 that 66% of our workforce would recommend The Christie to their friends and family as a place to work and 93% would recommend it as a place for care and treatment. Also, our monthly board of directors and council of governors meetings are public, and staff are welcome to attend.

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