HR POLICY & PROCEDURE PANDEMIC / SWINE FLU STAFFING ISSUES. Human Resources. final

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1 HR POLICY & PROCEDURE PANDEMIC / SWINE FLU STAFFING ISSUES Reference Number: 155 / 2009 Author & Title: Responsible Directorate: Peter Eley, Assistant Director of HR, Jan Lynn and Sharon Bonson Assistant Directors of Nursing, Jenny Evans, Chair of Staff Side and Lindsay Jones, RCN Steward Human Resources Review Date: 9 th October 2012 Ratified by (committee): TCNC and Management Board Date Ratified: 9 th October 2009 Version: final Related Policies Code of Expectations Managing Health & Sickness Managing Conduct

2 Index: CONSULTATION AND RATIFICATION SCHEDULE... 4 Introduction... 5 THE PROTECTION OF STAFF AND PATIENTS... 5 Personal Protective Equipment... 5 Vaccination of Staff... 5 Aims and Objectives of this policy MANAGEMENT OF ATTENDANCE Certification of Sickness Absence Recording Absences and Return to Work Protocols Cancellation of Annual Leave Staff who refuse to attend work Staff at High Risk Staff returning to work Study Leave and Training CONSIDERATIONS FOR RE-ALLOCATION OF STAFF AND CHANGES TO WORK PATTERNS IN EXISTING ORGANISATION Staff Redeployment and Role Change Additional Staffing Alterations to Work Patterns Salary Banding CONSIDERATIONS FOR RE-ALLOCATION OF STAFF TO OTHER NHS ORGANISATIONS Creation of Register of Alternative Work Placements PAY ARRANGEMENTS Payment of Salaries Payments for Overtime and Unsocial Hours DOMESTIC / CARERS LEAVE Requests for Domestic/Carers Leave WORKING TIME REGULATIONS Application of Working Time Regulations RECORDING & IDENTIFYING SKILLS / STAFF GROUPS NEEDED Process for Recording and Identifying Skills TRAINING INDIVIDUALS AT SHORT NOTICE... 14

3 9.1 Ensuring that Processes are in Place to Provide Training at Short Notice CREATION OF REGISTER OF VOLUNTEERS, POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL STAFF AND RECENTLY RETIRED STAFF Creation and Maintenance of Register MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) Establishing a Memorandum of Understanding SUPPORTING STAFF Maintaining the Psycho-social Health of Staff during a Pandemic Managers have a key role during a pandemic in maintaining the good psycho-social health of their staff. In the run-up to a pandemic the Trust will provide refresher training and summary guidance to its managers on the best ways of maintaining the psycho-social health of their staff. The Trust will monitor hotspots within the organisation to ensure that there is support for staff. Where appropriate the Trust s EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) team and other staff with counselling / facilitation skills will run reflective review sessions in areas most affected by the pandemic (e.g. ITU, A&E etc) Other Support for Staff during and after a Pandemic EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT SCREENING FORM CONSULTATION CHECKLIST... T 18 Signature Date / /... 18

4 CONSULTATION AND RATIFICATION SCHEDULE Name and Title of Individual Pandemic Flu Staffing Working Group Trust Pandemic Flu Planning Group Pan Avon Pandemic Flu Working Group Date Consulted February 2008 onwards 14 th March 2008 onwards October 2008 onwards Date policy ed to policy co ordinator 17 th March 2008 Name of Committee Date of Committee TCNC Policy Sub-group 19 th March 2008 TCNC Policy Sub-group 21 st May 2008 TCNC Policy Sub-group 18 th June 2008 TCNC Policy Sub-group 17 th September 2008 TCNC Policy Sub-group 6 th May 2009 TCNC 8 th May 2009 Management Board 27 th May 2009 TCNC Policy Sub-group 19 th August 2009 TCNC 11 th September 2009 TCNC 9 th October 2009

5 Introduction 1. Introduction The purpose of this document is to provide a planned, structured and co-ordinated way of working in the event of a Flu pandemic. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimate that infection rates within organisations could reach between 40% and 60% in the second and third waves of the pandemic. Each wave may last from three to eight weeks. Past pandemics have spread globally in two and sometimes three waves over a period of months. In these circumstances, rates of absenteeism could see the disruption of services such as power, transportation and communications. It is also anticipated that schools could be closed to prevent the spread of infection. At the time of reviewing this policy (September 2009) the Swine Flu pandemic has had a particular impact with the majority of cases being managed within the community and small but significant numbers of cases with severe impact requiring hospitalisation including Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) admission. This type of onset requires multiscenario planning and flexibility in order to ensure the sustainability of key Trust services. Health care services in areas affected by the virus will probably be overwhelmed by the influx of sick people. The following procedures are linked to Pandemic Contingency plans and are designed only to be implemented when Phase 5 of the Flu pandemic is notified by the Department of Health (DH) or World Health Organisation. The aim of this procedure is to enable Trusts in the Avon Health community to maintain adequate service levels during the pandemic. The Trust developed its own Pandemic Flu Staffing Issues Policy which was widely shared and utilised in the production of a Pan-Avon Health Community Policy through a community partnership event. The TCNC Policy Sub-group has gone through the policy that came out of this event and agreed it with some changes relevant to the RUH. THE PROTECTION OF STAFF AND PATIENTS Personal Protective Equipment The Trust will ensure the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to staff who will require it. This will be in line with national and local guidance under the direction of the Microbiology and Infection Control teams. Staff will be advised on the practice that they are required to follow to maximise the protection of themselves, their colleagues and patients and are required to follow this guidance and advice. Details on training of staff are set out under section 9 below. Vaccination of Staff The Trust will carry out the vaccination of its staff against the pandemic flu infection as soon as a licenced vaccine is available. Vaccination will be managed and administered by the Occupational Health department in line with national guidance. Wherever possible the vaccines will be

6 administered in the staff s department in order to maximise the numbers vaccinated. Where numbers of vaccine are limited those vaccinated first will be prioritised as follows: I. Clinical front-line staff with the most critical skills for managing pandemic / swine flu (e.g. ITU, Respiratory, Flu Isolation ward, Paediatrics, Emergency Department) II. Other front-line staff involved in the treatment of patients with pandemic / swine flu III. Staff with critical business continuity roles in the Trust IV. All other staff Management and staff side will work together to maximise the numbers of staff vaccinated in line with national guidance and advice. The Trust cannot require staff to be vaccinated and the choice to be vaccinated is a personal decision only. The decision whether to accept or reject vaccination will not however influence in any way the deployment of staff into pandemic / swine flu areas. Full records will be retained on names of staff who have been vaccinated and those who have refused vaccination. This information is recorded in order to meet the requirement to have an absolute record of vaccinations given and refused and to ensure that effort around vaccination is not duplicated. The information will be held confidentially in line with all information governance requirements. Refusal of vaccination will not impact on sick pay or management. Aims and Objectives of this policy 2. MANAGEMENT OF ATTENDANCE 2.1. Certification of Sickness Absence Normal principles should be followed in line with local Attendance Policies. However when confirmed by the World Health Organisation and the UK Government G.P.s will cease issuing medical certificates or increase the period when they are required (e.g. from 8 th to 15 th day of sickness) - due to the expected increase in pressure at their surgeries during the pandemic. From this point onwards staff will not be required to provide a medical certificate from their G.P. after 7 days absence but instead must provide a Trust Self-Certificate for all their sickness absence during the Pandemic for a period, normally within 21 days. The Trust s Occupational Health service will advise staff and their managers on absence and when they are fit to return. Local records will still need to be maintained and updated so that absences can be monitored. Absence due to Pandemic / Swine Flu or related illness will be classified as an underlying health reason and will be excluded from no underlying health reason attendance reviews. 2.2 Recording Absences and Return to Work Protocols

7 Given that the World Health Organisation estimate that a large proportion of staff could be sick during a Pandemic or caring for sick relatives, NHS organisations will need to effectively manage attendance when staff are off sick and ensure people are still not infected by Influenza on their return to work. Managers are required to report all Pandemic / Swine Flu related absence to the central reporting line (ext 4017/1142). Trust will keep a live sickness record via a centralised computer system, with line managers providing regular updates. Information to be recorded is as follows: Name AFC Banding Staff mix/occupation code Location Reason for absence please specify Duration Date for staff member to update manager on return to work Total staff off sick Review date to generate phone call to member of staff. 2.3 Cancellation of Annual Leave The WHO predicts that any Pandemic is likely to last for at least many weeks, possibly several months. The Trust may therefore need to cancel annual leave within selected departments or across the whole Trust. The Trust Executive Team / Silver Command will decide and communicate when a provision to cancel authorised annual leave across the Trust or selected departments will be implemented in order to continue the provision of essential operational services. At this point guidance will be provided for managers to follow in actioning the provision. This will include the use of paying for leave given up or carrying over of leave entitlement. Normally a balance of these two methods would be used. The guidance will recognise that during a Pandemic time away from work is essential for health and morale and to allow staff to recuperate from the intense pressure of the Pandemic. It will also identify how the retraction of authorised leave will be monitored to ensure consistency. Line managers must be very cautious in agreeing requested annual leave over likely periods of pandemic flu and must advise staff about the risks around cancellation. For example it would be prudent for managers to lower the limit for numbers of staff on annual leave absence that they allow over a potential pandemic flu period. Staff booking holidays should be aware of the risk of annual leave being cancelled and should arrange for appropriate insurance etc. Communication to staff must ensure that all staff are aware of this issue. Where staff have already pre-booked holidays following agreement from their manager they should be allowed to take them wherever possible. Where the retraction of authorised annual leave results in the cancellation of pre-booked holidays, organisations will need to consider reimbursement to staff for financial loss not covered by insurance or other means or alternatives, depending on the provision of the appropriate paperwork. This will depend on the international picture at this time.

8 In the event of annual leave being cancelled it is anticipated that there will be large numbers of staff requesting annual leave once the Pandemic is over. Where staff are prevented from taking their annual leave in the current leave year, Trust will consider relaxing its local annual leave agreement so staff do not lose this entitlement. They will be able to carry forward leave in excess of the standard local arrangement and/or annual leave may be bought back from individuals as long as the statutory minimum leave entitlement is taken. Where there are issues in the application of this aspect of the policy they should be referred to the HR team for advice and facilitation. 2.4 Staff who refuse to attend work With the expected high levels of sickness absence during the Pandemic, it is essential that all staff that are fit and well attend for work as normal. Where staff refuse to come into work with no reasonable grounds, this will be treated as unpaid unauthorised absence and potential misconduct. Further action, which will include an investigation under Trust s Managing Conduct Policy, will be taken; where necessary this will once the Pandemic is over. 2.5 Staff at High Risk Staff considered at high risk will be redeployed away from direct patient care to minimise the risk of infection. This will include for example pregnant women and those who suffer from asthma. Staff will be identified according to set criteria as confirmed by Occupational Health and this listing will be maintained by the line manager. Stage 1 Occupational Health will set out criteria for being at high risk. These will be maintained on the Trust intranet site. Stage 2 Criteria communicated to staff Stage 3 Staff will then self assess themselves against the criteria and notify line manager if they believe they may meet the criteria Stage 4 Line manager confirms those who meet the criteria with Occupational Health. Occupational Health will assess confirm any individuals who do meet the criteria for high risk and those that do not.. Stage5 In a Pandemic situation, staff identified as high risk will be redeployed to a post where their exposure to pandemic / swine flu is minimised Staff returning to work Staff returning to work after illness or who have returned from a Pandemic area will be required to telephone their line manager and / or Staff Deployment Centre when this is in operation and the Occupational Health department prior to returning to work. The Occupational Health department will provide advice to the member of staff and

9 their manager on their fitness to return to work. Where otherwise fit but not able to return to work medical exclusion may apply; this would be subject to Department of Health guidelines. Where medically excluded staff would receive Special Medical Leave in line with section 9 of the Trust Managing Health & Sickness Policy & Procedure. Where staff chose to travel to a country where a Pandemic had already been declared, staff will be offered annual leave and/or unpaid leave for the duration of the medical exclusion. 2.7 Study Leave and Training All normal study leave and training will be postponed or scaled down until the Pandemic is over and normal service has resumed. However, staff may be requested to attend training that is particularly relevant if they have been re-deployed to other areas, for example in emergency procedures or in relation to utilising Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and infection control procedures during a pandemic. 3. CONSIDERATIONS FOR RE-ALLOCATION OF STAFF AND CHANGES TO WORK PATTERNS IN EXISTING ORGANISATION 3.1 Staff Redeployment and Role Change In line with local contingency and disaster recovery plans, the Trust has mapped out which individual roles and functions are critical or non-critical depending on the different scenarios and the likely redeployment of staff required. In the event of a Pandemic some functions may cease for a period of time. The Trust as all other NHS employers reserves the right to re-deploy staff or change their roles as the need arises, where reasonable and practicable. Full consideration will be given where possible to relevant skills, experience and personal circumstances with reference to section 9. During the Pandemic, staff could be assigned to different roles, functions or a change of work location within the Trust or be required to change the way that they work. This will be largely determined by the Trust s agreed Pandemic / Swine Flu Deployment Plan. Staff may also be redeployed to other organisations within the health and social care sector but only where they are unable to attend work at the RUH and following consultation. Adequate training and induction will be provided to staff to equip them for the role they are assigned to. The model of provision will involve supervision by clinically skilled supervisors to ensure the safety of patients. All of these provisions are important to ensuring the appropriateness of deployments and to protect the professional registration (e.g. GMC, NMC, HPC etc) of clinical staff. Where appropriate buddying arrangements will be identified. Uniforms and protective clothing will be supplied where appropriate. The RUH may operate a Staffing Deployment Centre to centralise the sickness reporting and the deployment and rostering of staff.

10 In the event of a change in work location, travelling costs will be reimbursed in line with Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions (as detailed in Section 17, NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook). Pay and conditions will be unaffected by this arrangement, although where an individual has moved temporarily into a higher banded post, the provisions under Section 6 (Career & Pay Progression) of the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook apply. 3.2 Additional Staffing Where local pools of additional healthcare workers, volunteers and retired staff and staff from other employers with key required skills (e.g. electricians, plumbers etc) have been identified to help cope with a pandemic this would usually be on a temporary basis using the Trust bank agreement spot points. All additional staff, including temporary staff, would still need to be checked with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). The CRB has stressed that decisions about eligibility for all positions, paid or unpaid, would be taken by the potential employer and would depend on the usual criteria (level of contact and supervision with children or vulnerable adults). Wherever possible and appropriate additional staff will be employed on a paid bank basis. Specific advice on this is included in Pandemic Influenza: Guidance on preparing Mental Health services in England. Volunteers will need to undergo a health check and be CRB screened, with appropriate references taken up. Retired staff and volunteers will be required to attend a special induction or health and safety training session to ensure that the trust complies with its legal obligations. Volunteers are not normally paid, although expenses should be met. Managers will need to ensure that volunteers have some form of honorary contract to ensure they are covered by the NHS indemnity insurance scheme. The following steps should be considered in order to maximise the pool of potential additional staff: Central control/staff deployment within each organisation utilising ESR, Rosterpro / rostering systems / finance systems to identify Local pools of additional healthcare workers should be identified at trust level. Calling back of staff on secondments in other organisations. Working with UWE and other education providers around identifying those students and tutors able to be deployed during a pandemic in line with NMC guidance. Establish a Community-wide centre for information sharing this will pool information and share with all organisations in the area. Identifying deficits and surpluses in staffing levels at a local level and share with Community level centre. Pro-forma on retirement detailing possible reemployment roles in an emergency.

11 Retaining information on leaving staff/volunteers about possible redeployment. 3.3 Alterations to Work Patterns Shift patterns and other working arrangements may need to be revised, although unsocial hours provisions and payments will remain in force. Staff will be expected to comply with any agreed temporary alterations to those stated in their contract of employment. There will be no permanent change to the contract of employment and normal working hours will be resumed once the Pandemic is over. The purpose of this provision is to give flexibility on both sides so that staff are enabled to work hours that they can cover and so that all the required hours for the services operating during the Pandemic are covered. The Trust will provide short term protection of unsocial hours where it has initiated and required staff to change to different work hours (but not where the staff have requested the change themselves). In accordance with Flexible Working Policies, staff will still be able to request an alteration to their shift pattern or working hours where they have personal needs arising from, for example, family illness. Staff will be expected to work different hours where agreed to work around carer needs. All requests will be dealt with sympathetically and on an individual basis, subject to the needs of the service by line managers with advice from HR. 3.4 Salary Banding Job matching and evaluation panels will not be operating during the Pandemic. Staff recruited to a non-banded post during the Pandemic will be given a temporary banding which can be evaluated at the end of the Pandemic and confirmed. Where an evaluation has resulted in a lower band than the temporary banding the organisation will not recoup any over payment retrospectively but the new band will apply from the matching date. Where an evaluation has resulted in a higher banding than the temporary banding, arrears will be backdated to the start of the appointment. 4. CONSIDERATIONS FOR RE-ALLOCATION OF STAFF TO OTHER NHS ORGANISATIONS 4.1 Creation of Register of Alternative Work Placements If staff cannot travel to their normal NHS place of work (due for example to public transport disruptions or fuel shortages as a result of the Pandemic), it may be necessary to consider alternative work locations and roles for these staff. The Trust will work collaboratively with PCTs and other NHS organisations in order to effectively re-allocate staff in these circumstances. There may be other situations where the Trust may be asked to re-allocate staff to other NHS organisations. In these situations staff should be given an input to these re-allocations.

12 There will be a need to create a local register which contains information on all staff, which includes information such as where they live in relation to their work base, what level of skills they have and what services they are aligned to, e.g. critical, noncritical. The register needs to include information relating to individual skills and links should be made with systems established under section 9.1 recording and identifying skills. The register will be maintained in a way that ensures that all Data Protection Act requirements are met. There will need to be a clear definition of transferable skills, using banding levels as a starting point, across professions. The Trust continues to work with Pan-Avon organisations to identify where staff can realistically travel to work without the aid of any external input, e.g. car, public transport. The following steps will continue to be reviewed: Agree criteria for implementing alternative work placement protocol such as fuel shortage, suspension of public transport Organisational process for reporting absence should remain in effect Agree central contact number where staff can register their availability or nonavailability Consider using local Bank, egg NHS Professionals Implement a Memorandum of Understanding Clearly define command and control within the organisations and across Avon Section 4.1 above sets out the arrangements around how and where redeployment may take place. 5. PAY ARRANGEMENTS 5.1 Payment of Salaries Normal Payroll processes and procedures will continue using existing paperwork. The Trust has in place strong local Payroll contingency plans to ensure where possible staff pay is as accurate as possible. In an extreme situation it may not be possible to make other payments such as allowances and unsocial enhancements and overtime payments until the end of the Pandemic. Managers and staff must keep copies of payroll documentation in the event of paperwork being lost during the Pandemic. Under and over-payments will be addressed in line with Trust policies, procedures and processes. 5.2 Payments for Overtime and Unsocial Hours Any staff member volunteering to work additional shifts, e.g. in an evening or on a weekend, which takes their working week above 37.5 hours per week, will be paid overtime at their substantive banding in accordance with the organisation s terms and conditions. The Trust s Special Staffing Measures may be applied during a pandemic period. During the Pandemic all staff will be eligible for overtime payments, including those at band 8 and above. All overtime must be authorised prior to being worked, otherwise it may not be paid.

13 Unsocial hour s enhancements will continue as normal. Support functions such as Payroll will also be affected during the Pandemic and it may not be possible to make overtime payments until the end of the Pandemic. Managers and staff must keep copies of payroll documentation in the event of paperwork being lost during the Pandemic. 6. DOMESTIC / CARERS LEAVE 6.1 Requests for Domestic/Carers Leave Rules around short term Domestic and Carers/Emergency Leave remain unaffected during the Pandemic but in some circumstances this will be used in conjunction with other leave policies. All requests will be dealt with individually and agreed subject to the contingencies of the service with advice from the HR department. Managers and staff are encouraged to plan ahead and consider alternative childcare arrangements and changes to shifts, for example in the event of school closures, (as teachers may be ill or as part of infection control) to enable to staff to continue to work and meet carer responsibilities. Where staff are unable to work in their normal place of work for their normal hours because of carer responsibilities they should discuss flexible working arrangements such as home working, redeployment / flexible hours of work or mobile working with their managers. Please also refer to 4.3 of this document. 7. WORKING TIME REGULATIONS 7.1 Application of Working Time Regulations The national Working Time Regulations (WTR) will probably remain in force during the pandemic phase but the application of the regulations will need to be reviewed during this period. Staff will be able to voluntarily opt out of these regulations during a Pandemic period. There may be exceptional circumstances where it is not possible to comply with some of the requirements of the Working Time Regulations. Reference should be made to any additional national or regional guidance that may be issued. Managers have a responsibility to ensure that staff do not work for extended periods of time that could endanger patient or employee safety. This is a responsibility also shared by the staff themselves. 8. RECORDING & IDENTIFYING SKILLS / STAFF GROUPS NEEDED 8.1 Process for Recording and Identifying Skills It is essential that Trusts have identified the staff groups and skills that will be needed in the event of a pandemic. This information will need to be recorded in a systematic way, such that it can be easily accessed in a pandemic situation. The following actions will facilitate this process:

14 Discussions with McKesson with regards to unifying common databases and taking this to the Regional forum. Each trust will use its data validation on ESR, or similar system, to capture information on the key skills, qualifications and experience to assist deployment of staff in a pandemic. (Please note Trusts should consider using ESR where possible to allow central access to data if required). Use of training management system to ensure critical training skills are recorded. Rota system to ensure staff do not suffer from burn out. Each organisation will send opt-out forms to all staff up to Director level with regards to Working Time Directive opt out both at UK level 1 and WHO level TRAINING INDIVIDUALS AT SHORT NOTICE 9.1 Ensuring that Processes are in Place to Provide Training at Short Notice Trusts will need to consider the how they can up skill staff at short notice and what kind of training might be most appropriate in the event of a pandemic. Consideration should be given to: Creating a training curriculum to meet the identified correct training requirements in the run up to a pandemic, to be delivered at WHO phase 5. Targeted training i.e. for retired staff, volunteers, students etc. Ensuring that resources are available to administer training. What areas of pooled training can be provided universally. (Memorandum of Understanding with Universities to ensure efficiency of courses). 10. CREATION OF REGISTER OF VOLUNTEERS, POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL STAFF AND RECENTLY RETIRED STAFF 10.1 Creation and Maintenance of Register NHS Trusts should consider creating a register holding the names of volunteers and staff who have recently retired but who may be called on in the event of a pandemic. As identified in 3.2 wherever appropriate the additional staff will be paid on bank basis in line with normal bank recruitment procedures. In creating a register, consideration should be given to how staff can be approached to go on the register and also how retired staff, for example, can be updated in terms of their clinical skills (see section 9.1). Trusts will need to: Identify who has the responsibility and define this in the plan/register As a part of the tendering and contracting procedure with other organisations, ensure they have effective contingency plans Establish a clearing house to provide a single point of contact to register skills of volunteers and retired staff Establish a system for managing new volunteers possibly utilising NHS Jobs website

15 11.. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) 11.1 Establishing a Memorandum of Understanding A Memorandum of Understanding will enable essential Human Resources (clinical & non clinical) to be shared in areas where they are most needed during a Pandemic. The MOU should define how resources are identified and shared. For example, could Universities also be included to release academics to clinical areas? The MOU should cover the following, key issues: Identify the parties i.e. does it include all Avon NHS organisations, Universities, Independent Sector Treatment Centres, Local Authorities etc Aims and objectives the maintenance of all critical services (clinical and nonclinical) within own organisation and, secondly, to support the maintenance of all critical services (clinical and non-clinical) across Avon NHS. Also sharing staff resources and information appropriately Scope initial discussion at level 5 Pandemic Flu WHO alert. All organisations to identify critical services which fall within the scope of this MoU. Define roles, responsibilities and expectations, e.g. command and control - Gold, HPA, DPH strategic information on decision makers. Each local organisation will need to define their key responsibilities with local stakeholders, e.g. Acute Trusts to PCTs and vice versa. What falls outside the scope maintenance of non-essential services. Trigger point level 6 WHO Pandemic Flu alert Who will sign the MOU key decision makers Chief Executives (or Executive EP lead). 13. SUPPORTING STAFF 13.1 Maintaining the Psycho-social Health of Staff during a Pandemic Managers have a key role during a pandemic in maintaining the good psycho-social health of their staff. In the run-up to a pandemic the Trust will provide refresher training and summary guidance to its managers on the best ways of maintaining the psycho-social health of their staff. The Trust will monitor hotspots within the organisation to ensure that there is support for staff. Where appropriate the Trust s EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) team and other staff with counselling / facilitation skills will run reflective review sessions in areas most affected by the pandemic (e.g. ITU, A&E etc). Trust staff may also contact the dedicated EAP Swine Flu support line ext 4756 for psycho-social support Other Support for Staff during and after a Pandemic Detailed below are other ways in which the Trust will look to provide support for its staff. This list is not exhaustive, and the Trust will aim to be as creative as possible in establishing ways to help and support their staff.

16 Identify practical support, transport, home working, etc. Nurseries and crèches are not likely to be considered a flu-free zone as children are super-spreaders staff may need practical advice around childcare options. Identify staff with counselling skills, e.g. Chaplains, specialist nurses utilise skills audit to identify staff. General support utilise Unions and other welfare mechanisms, such as external counselling services. Make information available about accessing internal and external support networks Local Authority Health and Welfare. Support needs to be localised. Need to link with organisations such as CRUSE regarding support for staff during and after pandemic.

17 EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT SCREENING FORM 1. Policy, service, strategy, procedure or function - Pandemic / Swine Flu Staffing Issues Policy Lead (e.g. Director, Manager, Clinician): Peter Eley, Assistant Director of HR 2. Person responsible for the assessment: Jenny Evans, Chair of Staff Side and Peter Eley, Assistant Director of HR 3. Is this a new or existing policy, service strategy, procedure or function? New Revised Policy Existing 4. Who is the policy/service strategy,procedure or function aimed at? Patients Carers Staff Visitors Any other Please specify: 5. Are any of the following groups adversely affected by this policy: If yes is this high, medium or low impact (see attached notes): Disabled people: No Yes Race, ethnicity & nationality: No Yes Male/Female/transgender: No Yes Age, young or older people: No Yes Sexual orientation: No Yes Religion, belief & faith: No Yes Impact If the answer is yes to any of these proceed to full assessment. This applies whether the impact assessment is high, medium or low. 6. Does the policy, service strategy, procedure or function include measures which promote equality? No Yes 7. If yes, what are these measures? This policy has processes to prevent staff with particular health problems being exposed to risk from pandemic / Swine Flu in the workplace and steps to meet the needs of staff with childcare / carer responsibilities.

18 CONSULTATION CHECKLIST Author, please attach this to each copy of the policy being sent to a meeting for comments. Dear Chairman, please would you review this policy at your committee and return any amendments / comments to by. Title of meeting Date of meeting Name of policy Name of author Are there any elements of this policy which present operational issues that require further discussion? If yes, please provide a contact name for the author. Yes No N/A Is the policy referenced? Does the policy include a training plan? If you are the appropriate forum, have the necessary resources been agreed to implement this policy? Is there a plan for policy implementation? Does your meeting recommend further consultation with groups or staff other than listed at the front of the policy? Other comments from meeting. Policy accepted without further comment. (Please circle) Policy needs further amendment. (Please circle) Yes / No Yes / No Name of Chair Signature Date / / For Human Resources Policies only Name of Staff Side Signature Date / /