HPMA publishes new paper with NHS Employers setting out practical steps to strengthen NHS disciplinary processes

HPMA is today (25th March 2026) pleased to publish a new discussion paper, developed in partnership with NHS Employers, which sets out clear opportunities to strengthen NHS disciplinary processes and reduce avoidable harm to staff.

‘Leadership in HR: Balancing People and Process’ draws on interviews with Chief People Officers and senior HR leaders from across England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Their reflections offer rare insight into how disciplinary policies are applied in practice and the changes needed to build fairer, more compassionate systems.

The paper recognises the emotional toll disciplinary procedures can have, noting that staff under investigation often experience “heightened anxiety, distress, confusion and isolation”. along with managers, investigators and the wider organisation.

Importantly, it highlights clear opportunities to reduce these harms and strengthen systems, offering practical steps to create more supportive, people‑centred approaches

The paper forms part of HPMA’s Avoiding Harm programme and builds on the ‘When We Do Harm’ paper, which introduced the concept of avoidable employee harm and its impact on wellbeing and organisational culture.

Julie Rogers, Chief Executive of HPMA, said: “This paper is informed by experiences of HR leaders, their insights and their concerns, and offers a starting point for honest discussion and meaningful change. I would urge organisations to use it to reflect, challenge and improve.”

The report identifies seven themes for improvement, offering a practical checklist for organisations:

1. The essential role of HR leadership – Strengthening Board level leadership so CPOs lead, own and report on disciplinary policy in line with organisational culture and values.
2. Putting people at the centre – Designing policies that are accessible, humane and rooted in trust, written in clear language and focused on the people affected.
3. Support for everyone involved – Ensuring consistent, structured support for staff under investigation, as well as for managers, investigators and HR teams.
4. Addressing inequality – Improving fairness, transparency and consistency in how disciplinary processes are applied across the workforce.
5. Choosing the correct process – Supporting managers to distinguish between conduct and capability issues and to intervene earlier and more appropriately.
6. Taking a last resort approach – Prioritising informal resolution wherever appropriate to reduce harm and improve outcomes for individuals and teams.
7. Pursuing continuous improvement – Embedding ongoing learning, reviewing processes regularly and using data to drive improvement and consistency.

Marcus Riddell, Chief People Officer at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust, welcomed the paper’s practical value. “A genuinely people centred approach should be the norm, and this paper helps us to get there,” he said.
Andrew Cooper, Development Director for HPMA’s Avoiding Harm Programme and lead author, said the themes “offer a strong basis for organisations to build safer, fairer and more people centred processes”.

Co-author, Roger Kline, said: “Our hope is that this paper helps HR leaders to reflect on their own practices and use it as a catalyst for positive, lasting change.”

Read the full paper: www.hpma.org.uk/avoiding-harm