Request
I am writing under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
1. Please send me any business continuity plans(a) drawn up by the SHA and (b) submitted to the SHA by the PCTs/trusts in your region in the past 12 months, covering the potential risk of trade union/industrial action.
2. Please also send any other documents, correspondence and meeting minutes in the past 12 months with organisations in your SHA region and the Department of Health regarding service continuity in the event of trade union/industrial action.
Our Response
I refer to your email requesting information in respect of potential risk of trade union/industrial action.
I can confirm in accordance with S.1 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) that we do hold some information in respect of your request.
Following a search of our systems, I am able to provide you with the following extracts from various documents parts of which fall within the parameters of your request. These are as follows:
September 2010 – March 2012 Transition Plan
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Put in place early warning system so that potential problems and risks are mitigated - early warning system established and tested for employee relations.
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Escalation process in place. Mitigation plans produced, continued dialogue nationally, local dialogue and engagement with TUS and SPF, staff communications plan and road map of key stages for staff, workforce transition plans have fairness and equality and care, further develop expertise and skills to handle potential staff grievances.
National Contingency Plan Template – 2h, Industrial Relations Action
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Remains Green/Amber. Remains 'Green/Amber'. As advised previously, earlier assessments were interpreted simply as preparedness for possible industrial action, but now also reflecting the assessment of the prevailing local industrial relations 'climate'(s), which is uniformly still very positive). Recent adverse publicity re. Kettering GO (re. ballot for 'pay cut') and UH Leicester (re. 'unable to pay staff' have not affected the overall assessment (or necessarily the individual assessments of the individual organisations themselves), because specific and very 'local' issues may gain media publicity, that does not necessarily mean that local ER assessments (by both management- and staff-sides) will be 'negative'.
The requirement of NHS East Midlands is that all constituent organisations within the region develop and maintain appropriate business continuity plans in relation to possible industrial action, but organisations are not required to copy their plans to NHS East Midlands.
I hope that this information is of use. If you are dissatisfied with the way in which we have dealt with your request you can ask us to review our decision by writing to:-
Mr Moosa Patel
Director of Corporate Affairs
NHS East Midlands
Octavia House
Interchange Business Park
Bostock's Lane
Sandiacre
Nottingham
NG10 5QG
If at the conclusion of any review you remain dissatisfied you may complain to the Information Commissioner who can be contacted at:-
The Office of the Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
