HPMA Workshop: Productivity and CSR
HPMA Northern Ireland Branch held a workshop on 15th October 2009 on Workforce Productivity and the Comprehensive Spending Review at Hilton Templepatrick, Antrim.
The aim of the workshop was for Diane Taylor, Acting Director of Human Resources, DHSSPS, to present her vision for the future of HR in the climate of the service challenges faced within the Comprehensive Spending Review programme and the drive for workforce productivity improvement. Another aim was to give participants an insight into what it is like to work at the Department and the competing demands placed on staff.
On the morning of the conference Diane Taylor was urgently required by the Minister of Health to attend another meeting so she was unable to present at the conference. However her Deputy Director, Joyce Cairns, who was due to attend the workshop as a participant, kindly stepped in at the last minute. Joyce Cairns certainly knows what the competing demands placed on staff are like at the Department!
The HPMA Committee would wish to congratulate Joyce Cairns on her delivery of this presentation and noted participant comments which described her presentation as both interesting and insightful.
HPMA NI Committee members along with Joyce Cairns (Centre), Deputy Director of Human Resources, DHSSPSNI.
Joyce Cairns began the workshop by providing attendees with background information on the Comprehensive Spending Review and what can be expected in the forthcoming years.
Joyce Cairns then covered PSA Commitments to give an insight into the Departments priorities. She then referred to the Appleby Report and the impact this has had and continues to have on the service. Participants heard of the productivity differences between Northern Ireland and England and of the working group that has been set up to investigate and make recommendations to address the identified gaps.
Productivity measures were then discussed and Joyce Cairns went through in detail, some of the targets currently in place. This ranged from hospital productivity, absenteeism, skills mix changes within both nursing (74:26 qualifies/unqualified) and the allied health professions (84:16 qualified/unqualified) etc.
Joyce Cairns concluded by providing some facts and figures on the labour market and how we can all work smarter to meet the service demands.
At the end of the conference participants were divided into four groups and were asked to present back on the following:
1. In your view, what productivity measure can be taken to enhance the patient experience
2. Are we looking and measuring the right things
3. In HR, how can you contribute to the process
4. How can best practice be shared.
Joyce Cairns concluded by thanking everyone for their suggestions in relation to the above and agreed to take back to the Department with her for consideration.
HPMA would wish to thank Joyce Cairns and all participants for making this workshop a success. We hope to see you all again at the forthcoming workshop.