OPERATIONS POLICY & PROCEDURE
(OPS No.7)
OPERATIONAL RELIEF WORKING POLICY
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
Authors:
Consultation & Approval:
John Anfield
15/03/2012:
21-day consultation
05/11/2013: Operational Policy Review Group
Sign off at JCC
This document replaces:
Notification of Policy Release:
New document
1. “All Recipients” email
2. Staff Notice Boards
3. Intranet
Date of Issue:
January 2014
Next Review:
January 2015
Version:
1
INDEX
PAGE
1
Purpose
3
2
Scope
3
3
Duties
3-4
4
Definitions
4-5
5
Policy Background Information
5
6
Policy Procedures
6
•
General Principles
•
Relief Hours Planning – Notice Period
•
Relief Hours Planning – Posting
7-8
•
Relief Hours Planning – Shift Patterns
8-9
•
Relief Planning – Shift Types
9-10
•
Housekeeping
6-7
7
10
7
Monitoring
10
8
Review
11
9
Equality & Human Rights Impact Statement
11
10
Reference & Reading
12
1.
PURPOSE
1.1
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that South Central Ambulance Service NHS
Foundation Trust (SCAS) has a consistent and equitable policy for the management
of operational relief working, taking into account the needs of patient care across the
whole of SCAS.
1.2
This policy ensures that SCAS adheres to all statutory requirements, NHS National
Directives and Trust Policies to ensure that the optimum working life balance can be
maintained given the needs of patient care.
2.
SCOPE
2.1
This policy applies to all operational managers and staff employed within the
Operations Directorate of the Trust.
3.
DUTIES
3.1
It is the responsibility of all managers and staff to follow the guidance provided within
this policy. Staff that can be scheduled to work relief hours have a responsibility to
comply with the planned work hours allocated to them and comply with statutory
requirements and all relevant Trust Policies pertaining to relief working.
3.2
Staff who feel that their planned relief hours are incorrect or do not follow Trust policy
should in the first case contact their Scheduling Department and discuss their
concerns with the Scheduling Manager.
3.3
The Chief Operating Officer has Board level responsibility for the review and
implementation of operational policy and guidance within South Central Ambulance
Service NHS Trust.
3.4
Director of HR & Organisational Development has Board level responsibility to
ensure that the Trust complies with all statutory requirements, NHS National
Guidance and Trust Policies relating to the employment of all staff within the Trust.
3.5
Operations Directors and Assistant Directors of EOCs have delegated
responsibility for managing the strategic development and implementation of clinical
and non-clinical operational policies and should apply this policy throughout the Trust
ensuring it is available to staff and adhered to.
3.6
Area Managers and EOCs Duty Managers will be responsible to the Operations
Directors/EOCs for the development of effective Trust wide policies and procedures.
Specific responsibilities will include monitoring compliance of this policy and the
performance management of staff.
3.7
Scheduling Managers will be responsible for the correct implementation of this
policy ensuring a consistent and equitable approach to the management of
operational relief working, taking into account the needs of patient care across the
whole of SCAS.
3.8
Area Managers and Control Duty Managers are responsible to ensure that this
policy is implemented correctly within their operational environment. They report to
the Operations Directors/EOCs and should make this policy available to all staff
within their departments. Area Managers and Control Duty Managers should read
and understand this policy with specific responsibility for monitoring all areas of this
policy and the performance management of staff against the policy.
3.9
All Operational Staff and EOC Staff are required to read and adhere to this policy.
It is the responsibility of all operational staff to follow the guidance provided within
this policy. Operational staff who can be scheduled to work relief hours have a
Page 1 of Policy
responsibility to comply with the planned work hours allocated to them and comply
with all statutory requirements and all other relevant Trust Policies appertaining to
relief working.
4.
DEFINITIONS
•
Working Time – Any period during which the employee is working, at the
employer’s disposal and carrying out his/her duties. Covered within this
definition is all relevant training/education authorised by the Trust.
•
Working Week – Sunday midnight to Sunday midnight
•
Weekend – As defined in NHS National Terms & Conditions (s2 para 2.14;
annex E and F) (currently 7pm Friday to the following Monday at 7am).
•
Reference Period – A rolling 13-week calendar period
•
Working Time Review – A review of each employee should be carried out every
17 weeks in order to assure compliance with the Working Time Directive
legislation.
•
Work Records – Compliance with Working Time Directive dictates that an
adequate record will be maintained and kept for a minimum of two years.
•
Relief Hours – Working hours attracting payment that are not overtime hours and
which are unplanned (no specific work hours designated) in the first instance.
•
Relief Working – An employee working relief hours and who is competent to
carry out, without supervision (other than that prescribed for the grade) the hours
worked.
•
Base Station – The named location an employee is assigned to for
administrative purposes. This is identified when joining the service and will
change on internal transfer.
•
In Training – An employee who, as part of a training package, is receiving
training assistance and/or guidance and can only be rostered to work with staff
possessing specific skills or under supervision.
•
Probation – An employee who has been identified as requiring additional
assistance, guidance, support and /or supervision for a specific period.
•
Stress – Defined by the Health & Safety Executive as “ the adverse reaction
people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed upon them”
•
Lone Worker – Those who work by themselves without close or direct
supervision.
5.
POLICY BACKGROUND INFORMATION
5.1
South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) employs over 1500
staff working in the Operational Directorate employed on a variety of shift patterns
delivering patient care.
5.2
In order to maintain sufficient operational staffing throughout each 24-hour period,
including weekends and Bank Holidays and taking into account the following
abstractions (for each 37.5 hrs worked approximately 12.75 hrs are lost through
abstractions)
•
Annual Leave
•
Sickness
•
Training
•
Maternity/Paternity
Page 2 of Policy
•
Trade Union Activities and
duties
•
Operational contingences
•
Secondments/Meetings
5.3
The Trust operates a relief hours working process.
5.4
It is the intention of the Trust that managers entrusted with responsibility for
managing relief hours into designated work hours are able to use common sense
and sound judgement while adhering to Trust policies and procedures which strike a
balance between individual staff needs and patient care.
5.5
A clearly defined and auditable process and accessible line of communication
between managers responsible for planning relief hours allocation and the staff
affected by their decisions is essential. The Trust currently employs in each Area a
Scheduling Department in order to carry out this function.
5.6
The Trust is required to maintain adequate operational staffing levels at all times to
safe guard patient care. It does this by planning roster patterns that reflect patient
demand. Parallel to this, the Trust acknowledges its duty to manage operational
staff working patterns to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
5.7
This policy provides managers responsible for planning or monitoring relief working
with the necessary direction and gives operational staff engaged in relief working
assurance that they will be managed in a fair and equitable manner in accordance to
statutory regulations, NHS National Directives/Guidance and all applicable Trust
Policies.
6.
POLICY PROCEDURES
6.1
General Principles: a member of staff designated available for relief hour working to
the Area Scheduling Department (ASD) will be deemed competent to carry out their
role without supervision, commensurate with their job description.
6.2
An employee designated to be “in training” or “under supervision” will be managed
according to a prescribed plan formulated and agreed before the staff member
involved is highlighted to the ASD. The staff member concerned will not be
considered a true relief worker but will be managed under their training plan and this
policy.
6.3
Examples of employees under training or supervision are as follows:
•
An Emergency Care Assistant (ECA) who on completion of their basic training is
assigned to a station for completion of their training package.
•
A Student Paramedic, when not at university, is ascribed relief working hours.
Their Training Plan will detail current skills level, who they can work with and
their available work patterns.
•
A staff member under supervision would be an employee returning to work
following a long period of sickness or disciplinary measures and needing
supervision for a period of time.
6.4
In order not to be prescriptive and therefore rigid when planning operational staff’s
relief hours, the principles adopted within this policy rely on the ethos of fairness and
equality for staff allied to adhering to statutory regulations, NHS National
Directives/Guidance and all applicable Trust Policies.
6.5
This policy aims not to restrict managers planning relief to set patterns of working nor
to inhibit staff from requesting to work particular shift providing in all cases (6.2) is
complied with.
6.6
Scheduling staff planning relief hours for operational staff must always be mindful of
the Health, Safety and Welfare of staff and home work life balance and take note of
the following
Page 3 of Policy
6.7
•
NHS National Terms & Conditions, Annex G (1) states “an important aspect of
managing the provision of emergency cover outside normal hours is ensuring
good management practice and where necessary, ensuring appropriate
protocols are in place. This should reduce the difficulties arising from the
unpredictability of the system”. AFC Annex G – also states in line with good
working practices, employers should ensure that staff are given adequate time to
be made aware of their working patterns, as a guide, at least four weeks before
they become operational
•
Health and Safety at Work Act places a duty of care on managers of the Trust to
“protect, as far as is practicable, the health and safety at work of all our staff”
•
The Trust’s Stress Policy refers to “minimising the risk from work-related stress
through raising awareness, adopting good management practice and the
provision of support to all staff” The policy also encourages staff to “take
personal responsibility for themselves at work”
•
The act of good communication between managers planning relief hours working
and the operational staff carrying out those duties are paramount and will
alleviate pressure and stresses at work whilst minimising Health and safety risks.
The allocation of relief hours is to be considered of prime importance in the
maintenance of patient care. As such all relief hours planned must be relevant to
and for the benefit of the Trust in carrying out its core function of providing a high
standard of patient care and the following applies
•
The Trust operates a continual monitoring process for understanding patient
demand. Consequently, different requirements are in place at different locations
that effect operational staff relief working hours to ensure effective patient care.
•
Area Scheduling Managers will, therefore, remain an important part of the Area
operational planning loop ensuring that relief hours are targeted wherever
possible to maintain and improve patient care.
6.8
The accurate recording, collation and reporting of relief planning together with
eventual outcomes is to be adhered to at all times.
6.9
Relief Hours planning – Notice Period Employees having part/all of their work
hours planned in advance require adequate notice. The Trust sees a direct
correlation between the notice periods required for Annual/Bank Holiday leave
application and planned hours notification. The Trust A/L Policy Section 7.5.4
requires 35 calendar days notice for submission, 7 calendar days are provided for
planning purposes thus operational relief staff should receive 28 calendar days
notice of future relief shifts to be worked. In Accordance with A4C annex G the trust
should to provide 4 weeks notice of shifts. Scheduling will collate any issues and a
review will be completed after 6 months of ratification of the policy.
6.10
Publication of planned relief shifts (6.8) should, in the first instance be by electronic
record so making use of day/time stamping for audit purposes. Locally, management
may wish to supplement the electronic format with printed/faxed/posted documents.
If this is the case, the overriding principle must be that only the electronic planning
database will contain accurate data. Any employee/manager concerned about future
relief hours should contact the responsible Area Scheduling manager and discuss
his/her concerns. In line with good working practices, employers should ensure that
staff are given adequate time to be made aware of their working patterns, as a quide,
at least 4 weeks before they become operational.
6.11
Although 28 days (6.9) is the appropriate period of notice for forward planning, the
Trust recognises that as a Civil Protection Agency, it is duty-bound to provide a
service to the public. Therefore, and recognising that the unforeseen does happen,
Page 4 of Policy
for example the Trust escalates to REAP 4 the Trust reserves the right to alter
planned relief hours with less than 28 calendar days' notice. The following bullet
points will also apply:•
In cases of re-assignment with less than 28 calendar days notice (6.11)
scheduling will endeavour to plan shifts as close to the original pattern as
possible the employee concerned must acknowledge to agree to the change.
•
When the above bullet point applies Agenda for Change details appropriate
recompense if applicable.
•
With less than 24 hours notice of a potential relief hours alteration of planned
duty the employee concerned must acknowledge to agree to the change.
6.12
Relief Hours Planning – Postings The Scheduling Department / Manager is
responsible for relief planning and will keep an up to date and accurate record of the
base station of each employee.
6.13
Relief hours will be planned in the relevant operational area and can be scheduled to
occur anywhere within (31) miles of the employee’s base station OR at the next 2
closest locations, whichever is the closest. The Divisional Scheduling Centre can
request, as can an employee to be planned for relief hours working at any other
location(s).
If there are no shifts available within the agreed area then scheduling
will inform the member of staff what their days off are for the period and allocate
shifts as they become available
6.14
Relief Hours Planning – Shift Patterns The Working Time Directive (WTD)
legislation must be adhered to by managers and staff alike. The responsibility for
compliance is inherent to all concerned (the Trust's WTR policy should be referred to
for definitive guidance). A summary of the key points are:
•
Daily rest – 11 hours' consecutive rest in every 24-hour period. However the
shortfall should be made up at the earliest opportunity.
•
REST PERIODS
o
•
Employees may not opt out of daily or weekly rest periods which are defined in
detail, below.
Daily Rest Periods
o
An employee is entitled to a rest period of not less than 11 consecutive hours in
each 24-hour period. In circumstances where 11 consecutive hours is not
practical due to an exceptional occurrence such as a major incident,
compensatory rest must be taken before the end of the run of shifts. Overtime
will not be paid if compensatory rest is taken.
o
It should be noted that travelling time to and from work is an individual’s
responsibility; is not included in weekly work-time and, as such, is included in
the rest period of 11 consecutive hours.
•
Weekly Rest Period – 24 hours in every 7 days or 48 hours in 14 days in
addition to their daily rest (uninterrupted). This equates to 35 hours every 7 days
OR 70 hours every 14 days (including daily rest period(s))
•
Maximum Weekly Working Time – average 48 hours in each 7 day period
averaged over 17 weeks
•
Night Work – Average 8 hours in any 24 hour period averaged over 17 weeks.
Night working will cover from 22:00 to 08:00
•
It should be noted that staff working a maximum of 48 hours per week over a
reference period of 17 weeks cannot contravene WTD night working
requirements.
Page 5 of Policy
•
The only area of the WTD that staff can opt out of is the maximum hours per
working week
6.15
Should management consider that an employee is working too many hours to
comply with WTD or working a pattern that fails to adhere to WTD, H&S and/or Trust
Policy a management investigation will be conducted in order to re-establish/balance
requirements.
6.16
Staff employed solely on relief duties will have their patterns of duty and consequent
total work hours reviewed routinely every 13 weeks. The staff members Unsocial
Hours and Working hours will be verified during this period. Identified discrepancies
highlighted by management or the staff member concerned will be reviewed
immediately and remedial action taken where appropriate.
6.17
Employees who work relief hours as part of an overall pattern, where the majority of
hours are not relief, should have their relief hours planned with due regard to the
overall shift pattern worked. Relief planning should take into account the previous
weeks and subsequent weeks working patterns.
6.18
Relief hours planned, regardless of total hours/days to be worked, should, wherever
possible, follow a logical well reasoned progression for the employee concerned.
The planning of relief hours is not dissimilar to a risk assessment of working practice
and should, therefore, follow a standard Trust approach. There are 5 key impact
decisions to be managed;
6.19
•
Shift start time
•
Shift duration
•
Rest period between shifts
•
Breaks during shift
•
Cumulative effect of 1 in 4
The 5 key impact decisions (6.20) will guide Area Scheduling in planning relief
working hours. This policy does not intend to be prescriptive and inflexible and
allows managers to plan according to needs whilst being mindful of the Health,
Safety and Welfare of staff. In addition, individual staff requests will, where ever
possible, be acceded to. Not withstanding the above there are a number of routinely
adoptable planning scenarios which can be utilised
•
When a last relief shift is a night shift, a minimum of 24 hours rest should be
aimed for before the next shift commences. Where possible scheduling will
avoid planning a day shift immediately after a night shift.
•
When relief hours are ascribed to night shifts of 12 hours each, a maximum of 4
night shifts in any Trust week should be adhered to. When night shifts are less
than 12 hours, more than 4 shifts in a Trust week could be worked. (with
individual staff agreement) If possible, Night shifts should run consecutively. Do
not schedule a post midnight finish on the day before annual leave.
•
Employees working solely on relief hours should, wherever possible benefit from
similar periods of weekend-free work as employees rostered on repeating shift
patterns. Due to the exigencies of the Trust this may not always be possible,
nevertheless attempt to provide 1 weekend in every 4 as days off.
•
Due to the variety of shift lengths employed coupled with different types of
response vehicle (ambulance, car, bike…) used within the Trust, scheduling may
have to use flexi hours earnt/taken to ensure the correct shift lengths and
employees hours are correct. However, the aim of the scheduling department is
to ensure that staff do not have greater than 11.5 hours flexi time moving from
Page 6 of Policy
one quarter of the year to the next. Scheduling staff will be responsible for
allocating flexi time.
6.20
Relief Planning – Shift Types Before allocation of relief hours the planner must
consider the skills of to the employee concerned. Staff should only be scheduled in
line with their skill set to ensure compliance with other SCAS policy, including Lone
Working.
6.21
Clinical planning risk will be mitigated by planning relief hours working in accordance
with skill matches applicable to the response unit. As skills definitions change it is
unwise to be prescriptive. Area Scheduling Managers will continue to adhere to
Trust policy being guided by the Clinical Directorate wherever necessary.
6.22
Employees who are under supervision or continuing training even if forming part of a
relief plan must have individual work patterns agreed by the appropriate line
manager (see 6.2)
6.23
Housekeeping: an employee working relief hours other than at their base station will
start and finish their shift at the designated time. Travel time is not included in the
relief hours. A Trust vehicle will not be provided for travel purposes.
6.24
All appropriate and claimable remuneration is covered in Agenda for Change.
6.25
Managers responsible for maintaining a database of employee working hours (and
necessary employee details) will upon written request make those available, at a
reasonable time, for review by the employee
6.26
Management is duty-bound to provide timely and accurate details of all planned
working including relief hours. Unless there are infrastructure problems this
information should be available electronically and wherever possible by direct
interrogation (self-service) of the database by the employee.
6.27
Every employee is duty-bound to maintain an effective watch on planning future work
hours. An employee who has relief hours to be planned must bring to the attention
of the responsible planning manager at the earliest opportunity, and wherever
possible, electronically, any problems and/or concerns they may have regarding an
inability to carry out any particular duty.
6.28
For staff planned on relief hours, abstractions from work will be dealt with following
the same Trust and/or locally established protocols as for staff on rostered hours.
6.29
A written document guiding employees on protocols and processes used in planning
work hours together with appropriate management names, contact email addresses
and telephone numbers should be made available to all employees.
6.30
Any deviation by an employee from planned hours working must be agreed by a
manager and communicated to all concerned. If it is not a scheduling manager then
the manager authorising the change must inform the scheduling manager,
electronically as soon as possible.
7.
MONITORING
7.1
The Operations Directors and Staff Side Chair will be jointly responsible to delegate
an Area Manager and Staff Side Representative to carry out a yearly review of this
policy and will provide a full report to the JCC including an “Audit of Compliance”,
which will include:•
Number of datix reports relating to the policy
•
Relief Working compliance
o
Compliance with 28 days rule
Page 7 of Policy
•
o
Equal unsocial hours payment through 13 week review
o
Number of short notice shift change (less than 24 hours)
o
Number of shift changes between 24 hours and 28 days
o
1 in 4 weekends off
o
Compliance with flexible working arrangements
o
Number of occasions when staff are asked to travel further than the 31 miles
from their base station
o
Number of staff with excess of 11.5 hours owed/credit at the end of each
quarter
Complaints from Staff
7.2
Compliance with this policy in regard to relief working, as described in and forming
part of the job description of all operational staff, will be monitored through the
annual Appraisal/Personal review (PDR) system. Non compliance will be addressed
through the Capability Policy and if necessary the disciplinary process.
7.3
Any action plans developed to improve this policy will be monitored by the JNCC for
effectiveness.
8.
REVIEW
8.1
This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis or sooner in the light of any changes
in guidance and guidelines to which the Trust must adhere.
9.
EQUALITY & HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT STATEMENT
9.1
The Trust is committed to promoting positive measures that eliminate all forms of
unlawful or unfair discrimination on the grounds of age, marital status, disability, race,
nationality, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, ethnic or
national origin, beliefs, domestic circumstances, social and employment status,
political affiliation or trade union membership, HIV status or any other basis not
justified by law or relevant to the requirements of the post.
9.2
By committing to a policy encouraging equality of opportunity and diversity, the Trust
values differences between members of the community and within its existing
workforce, and actively seeks to benefit from their differing skills, knowledge, and
experiences in order to provide an exemplary healthcare service. The Trust is
committed to promoting equality and diversity best practice both within the workforce
and in any other area where it has influence.
9.3
The Trust will therefore take every possible step to ensure that this procedure is
applied fairly to all employees regardless of race, ethnic or national origin, colour or
nationality; gender (including marital status); age; disability; sexual orientation;
religion or belief; length of service, whether full or part-time or employed under a
permanent or a fixed-term contract or any other irrelevant factor.
9.4
Where there are barriers to understanding e.g. an employee has difficulty in reading
or writing or where English is not their first language, additional support will be put in
place wherever necessary to ensure that the process to be followed is understood
and that the employee is not disadvantaged at any stage in the procedure. Further
information on the support available can be sought from the Human Resource
Department
10.
REFERENCE & READING
•
The Working Time Regulations 1998
Page 8 of Policy
•
Health & Safety at Work Act
•
Draft Annual Leave Policy
•
H&S Policy, apx D: Lone Working
•
NHS Nat Terms & Conditions
•
Job Description
•
HR Policy HR/C09 Stress
•
Draft Working Time Regulations
•
Page 9 of Policy
Annex G of AFC
Equality Impact Assessment Form Section One – Screening
Name of Function, Policy or Strategy:
Relief Working Policy
Officer completing assessment:
Mark Ainsworth
Telephone:
01962 898102
1.
What is the main purpose of the strategy, function or policy?
To clarify rules around relief working and provide consistency across the Trust.
2.
List the main activities of the function or policy (for strategies, list the main policy
areas)
To define Relief Working and how SCAS operates Relief working and responsibilities of
managers and employees
3.
Who will be the main beneficiaries of the strategy/function/policy?
All staff will have an imporved understanding of Relief working and how it operates.
4.
Use the table overleaf to indicate the following:a. Where you think that the strategy/function/policy could have an adverse
impact on any equality group; ie, could it disadvantage them.
b. Where you think there could be a positive impact on any of the groups or it
could contribute to promoting equality, equal opportunities or improving
relations within equality target groups.
Page I of EIA
Positive
Impact
Negative
Impact
Women
Yes
N/A
Impact on personal life due to not having long term shift
patterns
Men
Yes
N/A
Impact on personal life due to not having long term shift
patterns
Asian or Asian British People
N/A
Yes
Language difficulties
Black or Black British People
N/A
Yes
Language difficulties
Chinese people and other people
N/A
Yes
Language difficulties
People of Mixed Race
N/A
Yes
Language difficulties
White (inc Irish) people
N/A
Yes
Language difficulties
Disabled People
N/A
Yes
Possible learning difficulties
Lesbians, gay men and bisexuals
N/A
N/A
Transgender
N/A
N/A
Older People (60+)
N/A
N/A
Younger People (17 to 25) and children
N/A
N/A
Faith Groups
N/A
N/A
Equal Opportunities and/or improved
relations
N/A
N/A
Reasons
GENDER
RACE
AGE
Page II of EIA
Yes – ensuring that a fair and consistent process is followed
for all Trust staff.
Notes:
Faith groups cover a wide range of groupings, the most common of which are Muslims,
Buddhists, Jews, Christians, Sikhs and Hindus. Consider faith categories individually and
collectively when considering positive and negative impacts.
The categories used in the race section refer to those used in the 2001 Census.
Consideration should be given to the specific communities within the broad categories such
as Bangladeshi people and to the needs of other communities that do not appear as
separate categories in the Census, for example, Polish.
5.
If you have indicated that there is a negative impact, is that impact:
Yes
No
Legal (it is not discriminatory under anti-discriminatory law)
X
Intended
X
Level of Impact
High
Low
X
If the negative impact is possibly discriminatory and not intended and/or of high
impact then please complete a thorough assessment after completing the rest of
this form.
6(a). Could you minimise or remove any negative impact that is of low significance?
Explain how below:
Clear, simple language used. Line managers support and guide their staff to
understand what has been written in the policy and the impact/effect it would have on
them.
6(b). Could you improve the strategy, function or policy positive impact? Explain
how below:
By using clear and simple language.
7.
If there is no evidence that the strategy, function or policy promotes equality,
equal opportunities or improves relations – could it be adopted so it does?
How?
N/A
Page III of EIA
Please sign and date this form, keep one copy and send one copy to the Trust’s
Equality Lead.
Signed:
Name:
Mark Ainsworth
Date:
Page IV of EIA
Equality Impact Assessment Form Section Two – Full
Assessment
Name of Policy:
Relief Working Policy
Officer completing assessment:
Mark Ainsworth
Telephone:
01962 898102
Part A
1.
2.
Looking back at section one of the EqIA, in what areas are there concerns that the
strategy, policy or project could have a negative impact?
Gender
No
Race
Yes
Disability
No
Sexuality/Transgender
No
Age
No
Faith
No
Summarise the likely negative impacts:Difficulties with understanding relating to language problems and/or learning disabilities
Possible difficulties in relation to childcare; could therefore be a gender issue as women,
especially single women may be less able to take advantage of the opportunity.
3.
Using the table below, give a summary of what previous or planned consultation on
this topic, policy, function or strategy has or will take place with groups or individuals
from the equality target groups and what has this consultation noted about the likely
negative impact?
Equality Target Groups
Summary of consultation planned or taken place
Gender
Standard consultation for policy review
Race
Disability
Page V of EIA
Equality Target Groups
Summary of consultation planned or taken place
Sexuality/Transsexuality
Older People
Younger People
Faith
4.
What consultation has taken place or is planned with Trust staff including staff that
have or will have direct experience of implementing the strategy, policy or function?
Standard consultation process – EIA included with policy as circulated
5.
Check that any research, reports, studies concerning the equality target groups and
the likely impact have been used to plan the project and guide or indicate what
research you intend to carry out:Equality Target Groups
Title/type of/details of research/report
Gender
Race
Disability
Sexuality/Transsexuality
Older People
Younger People
Page VI of EIA
Equality Target Groups
Title/type of/details of research/report
Faith
6.
If there are gaps in your previous or planned consultation and research, are there any
experts/relevant groups that can be contacted to get further views or evidence on the
issues?
Yes (Please list them and explain how you will obtain their views)
No
Page VII of EIA
Part B
Complete this section when consultation and research has been carried out
7a.
As a result of this assessment and available evidence collected, including consultation, state
whether there will be a need to be any changes made/planned to the policy, strategy or
function.
7b.
As a result of this assessment and available evidence, is it important that the Trust
commissions specific research on this issue or carries out monitoring/data collection?
(You may want to add this information directly on to the action plan at the end of this assessment form)
8.
Will the changes planned ensure that negative impact is:
Legal?
(not discriminatory, under anti-discriminatory legislation)
Intended?
Low impact?
9a.
Have you set up a monitoring/evaluation/review process to check the successful
implementation of the strategy, function or policy?
Yes
9b.
No
How will this monitoring/evaluation further assess the impact on the equality target
groups/ensure that the strategy/policy/function is non-discriminatory?
Details:
Please complete the action plan overleaf, sign the EQIA, retain a copy and send a copy of the full
EQIA and Action Plan to the Trust’s Equality Lead.
Page VIII of EIA
Signed:
Name:
Date:
Page IX of EIA
EQIA ACTION PLAN
Issue
Action
Required
Lead
Officer
Timescale
Resource
Implications
Difficulties of
understanding
Plain English,
simple
language
During
drafting
Built into
process
Ditto
Managers to
support staff
to understand
In use,
ongoing
Shouldn’t be
any.
Childcare
Flexibility of
opportunity to
be provided
In practice
None
Please continue on another sheet if you need to.
Comments