General Practice and Human Resources …….a

marriage made in Heaven?

Dr Christina Kenny GP and Director of Clinical

Governance

Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust

Milton Keynes PCT

• 230,000 registered population• 30 practices• 128 GPsJoint services with the Council - MentalHealth, Older People, Learning Disability,Children’s Services, Community Services,Family Planning

What did we do?

Explored how practices and the Human

Resources (HR) department could work

more closely together

Why did we do it?

……….. Because we share the same

corridor

PCT Clinical Governance Directorate

Dr. Tina KennyDirector of Clinical Governance

Pam TresiseRisk Manager

Risk Manager & ComplaintsManager

Kath MowbrayResearch & Development/ Quality

Facilitator

Ruth ClarkeClinical Governance Manager

Janet CorbettChief Pharmacist

Mairead NuttallH & S Advisor

CarolineRollings

Practuce Nurse& Clinical

GovernanceFacilitator

Mary SmithS & L

DirectorateClinical

GovernanceFacilitator

Linda ParryMH

DirectorateClinical

GovernanceCO-

ordinator

Helen ChadwickSenior

PharmaceuticalAdvisor

Nikki HughesPharmaceutical

Advisor

DebbieHenriksenDirectorate

ClinicalGovernance

Facilitator

Nikki LedgerPharmaceutical

Technician

Objectives

•Practice Managers (PMs) and HR Manager would have an opportunity to establish a relationship

•PMs would have an opportunity to consider what support the HR department could offer practices

Objectives

•PMs and the HR department could identify areas for education and training

•The HR department would be better placed to plan future HR developments which supported both the managed services and the practices

Method

• PM identified

• Questionnaire

• Letter from Clinical Governance Lead (a GP)

• Personal practice visits arranged

• Report compiled for the practice

QuestionnaireDevised from the 4 pillars of HR

• Employee Resourcing

• Employee Development

• Reward

• Employee Relations

Health and Safety

Improving Working Lives

PCT Policies and Procedures

Result

•15 (50%) of practices participated

Patient population covered 160,000

Findings• Practices welcomed the support of the

PCT• Practices demonstrated a commitment of

working towards staff management and conditions which adhered to health service wide standards

• Strict adherence to structured approach varied

• A variety of Education and Training needs and support requirements emerged

Findings

100 100

6.7

60

100 100 100

60

100

47

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Contra

cts

Pay &

Con

dition

s in

cont

ract

Pay &

Con

dition

s Poli

cy

Appra

isal

Induc

tion

Fire

Health

& S

afet

y

Policy

Educa

tion

& Tra

ining

Leav

e Poli

cy

Findings

84

6.7 6.7

47

40

47

73

100 100

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Actions• Quarterly employment Law newsletter• Individual practice support- employment law- grievance- disciplinary• Trust HR policies on intranetPMs emailed alert when new policy posted• Support to practices to develop own

policies

Actions• Education and Training workshops- employment contract- employee rights- equal opportunities- disciplinary process management- managing sickness absence- recruitment- handling grievances- over 4 days- toolkit

Actions

• Protected Time workshops

10 sessions throughout the year

Variety of training opportunities

Actions

• Occupational Health Services

• Health and Safety training

• Health and Safety audits

Actions

- Locum GP service- PCT HR Department advertise staff

vacancies - across the Trust

- local media

- PCT umbrella organisation for police checks (Criminal Records Bureau)

Actions- PCT Finance Manager advice on development of pay systems

- PCT policy on staff appraisal sent to all practices

- Summary version of key policies developed by practices with support from the HR Department

- ICAS - 24 hour personal support line or face-to-face support

Summary

•HR practice is a good way for PCTs and Practices to link

•There is common interest in this area

•The new GMS Contract (if accepted) will focus practices on these skills and on Practice Manager development

What else would What else would you like to you like to

know?know?