Transition update: gearing up for transfers

Thu 21 Jun 2012

News for MiP members in PCTs, SHAs and ALBs in England

We had hoped that the national policy on transfer of staff from the old organisations (senders) to the new organisations (receivers) could have been published in time for a major conference on the transition held on Friday 15 June. MiP and other health unions are engaged in urgent talks with the Department of Health, employers and receiving organisations to iron out the final details of the scope and detail of the transfer schemes.

This transfer of staff is a huge undertaking, with staff being transferred from 170 sender organisations to 400 receivers. It is hoped to complete the majority of the transfers in the 6 month period from July to December. Clear and fair transfer schemes are essential to enable this to happen and protect terms and conditions of staff at the time of transfer and thereafter. A final draft of the policy is in circulation, but it does not cover the crucial detail about the transfer schemes. It is hoped to reach agreement by the end of next week.

Other developments include:

• The Department of Health is setting up a microsite to enable staff to access documents relating to the transfer. Documents loaded onto the website will be clearly badged to show whether they are policy or guidance, produced in partnership with the trade unions, or whether they are tools which are being shared by practitioners. New posts will also be advertised on this site. The site will go live on 28 June: www.HRtransition.co.uk
• The NHS Commissioning Board has published guidance and FAQs for CCGs on remuneration for chief officers and chief finance officers, available on their website: CCG remuneration guidance and CCG remuneration FAQs. Guidance for other CCG staff will also be produced.
• The Commissioning Board has not appointed to six of its senior national positions. These posts are now open to any staff who are ‘at risk’ or affected by change, and advertised on the Commissioning Board website
• VSM posts in regional offices reporting to regional directors have not yet been advertised. The Commissioning Board is considering with the unions whether any of these posts will be subject to a slot in transfer.
• The Commissioning Board is consulting with MiP and the other unions over the geographical pooling for recruitment to the VSM posts in the 27 Local Area Teams.
• Pooling and transfer arrangements for all other staff, covered by Agenda for Change, will be subject to partnership discussion and agreement between the Commissioning Board and MiP and the other unions