Annual Report 2006 - Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital

Valuing & involvingA total of 5,782 people worked for us at the endof March 2006 (40 fewer than at March 2005) and weremain Exeter city’s largest employer.During the year we successfully implemented Agendafor Change, the biggest change to staff pay, termsand conditions since the creation of the NHS. TheTrust was also in the first wave of introducing theElectronic Staff Record — a national web-basedhuman resource management and payroll system.Workforce Redesign is a major strategic initiative forthe RD&E.We are committed to fairness and respect forevery patient and staff member. As part of thiscommitment we have published our Race EqualityScheme and Action Plan which is overseen by theDiversity Steering Group. For the first time, Diversityand Equality is part of everyone’s job as it is a coredimension in the Knowledge and Skills Framework.We have also produced our Equality and DiversityStatement. This includes:• employing a workforce that isrepresentative of the local community;• implementing non-discriminatoryrecruitment and selection processes whichencourage applications from all groups inthe community;• ensuring that all employees have fair access tolearning and development opportunities;• providing a safe and accessible workingenvironment that values and respects theidentity and culture of each individual;• ensuring that access to information is asopen and transparent as possible;• ensuring a culture and workingenvironment free from discrimination,harassment and violence;• encouraging and supporting all staff toreach their full potential.The ‘two ticks’ disability framework gives full andfair consideration to applications for employment,arranging appropriate training and providing careerdevelopment and promotion opportunities fordisabled persons.We consult with staff formally through the JointStaff Forum and the Health and Safety Committee.Both sides agree that partnership working has beenimproved considerably through the Agenda forChange process.We know that for staff to be committed to theirwork and provide an excellent service they needto be involved in decisions that affect them. Wehave responded to the results of the annual StaffSurvey and will be introducing a new InternalCommunication Strategy which includes bestpractice in staff engagement and ensures thatemployees receive information systematically.We have improved childcare facilities againthis year and many staff benefit from our salarysacrifice scheme.All staff have confidential self-referral access tothe Trust’s in-house Occupational Health and StaffSupport and Counselling Service.We now recruit to all posts by means of theinternet as e-recruitment was fully implementedduring 2005/06. All our job vacancies can be foundvia www.rdehospital.nhs.ukCASE NOTES: STAFF IDEASWITHIN THE TRUST EVERYONE’S IDEAS COUNT,WHETHER THAT BE IN FLAGGING UP AREAS OFDUPLICATION OR IDENTIFYING POSSIBILITIES FORIMPROVED PATIENT CARE.In Spring 2005 Orthopaedic Registrar ChristophMcAllen and Technician Neil Tarn returned froma visit to the Netherlands to see Softcast modernfunctional fracture management in use. Softcastcan be applied alone or as a combi cast with aslab of fibreglass between Softcast layers for extrastability.Impressed by the atmosphere in the Dutch plasterroom, Christoph and Neil were keen to implementchange here at the RD&E.We have now been using Softcast for one year withmany benefits:• reduced clinic numbers as many patients withminor injuries can remove their own casts;• less cast changes required with Softcast;• a more patient– and staff–friendly environmentwithout the noisy cast saw which can upsetchildren and babies;• patients can bathe, shower and swim in theirSoftcast;• patients enjoy increased freedom and comfort,and a quicker return to normal activities.5