The HR Transition Partnership Forum (HRTPF) has been established to provide a single national forum for the discussion, development, agreement and implementation of HR transition policy, guidance and tools to support people transition across the NHS, DH and new Arms Length Bodies (ALBs).
The forum is a partnership of Department of Health, trade unions, employer and SHA representatives.
The group is co-chaired by Stephen Welfare, Deputy Chief Executive Officer for NHS Midlands and East, and Karen Didovich, Senior Employment Relations Advisor at the Royal College of Nursing.
The group reports to the HR Strategy Group chaired by Sir Neil McKay and is accountable to the National Social Partnership Forum chaired by the Minister of State for Health.
The HRTPF's Terms of Reference and membership were reviewed and refreshed in July 2012 to strengthen partnership working at both strategic and operational design and delivery levels as the people transition programme moves from the design and development phase to implementation.
Terms of Reference
Collectively the HRTPF is responsible for:
- assuring policy supporting the production of HR transition policy, guidance and tools, including People Transition Policy (PTP) documents;
- reviewing and recommending sign off (by HRSG) of deliverables, (such as national frameworks and guidance) ensuring they are appropriate, fair, clear and transparent, and meet the requirements of the implementation programmes;
- assuring the work Sending organisations are completing for transition and closedown and providing assurance that closedowns are at appropriate times and co-ordinated with Receiver organisation’s plans;
- to monitor implementation and make recommendations where further guidance is needed across all areas/system;
- to provide advice in HR policy implementation including the interpretation of policy and resolution of policy in partnership;
- assuring and supporting consultation / engagement and due diligence activity with the implementation programmes, and ensuring these are undertaken as required by current and new employers
- identifying, recommending, and deploying the required resources (staff side and managers) to meet the needs of the HR Transition Programme and deliver people transition;
- identifying risks and issues related to the HR transition activity and people changes are and managing and escalation these where required; and
- agreeing key messages for communications;
- working with the Regional SPFs to ensure they are equipped with the tools to undertake the necessary assurance that all local senders and receivers are familiar with and are consistently implementing policy, guidance and tools agreed by the HRTPF.
The group's Terms of Reference can be downloaded here.
Partnership groups
Receiver bodies are setting up partnership groups to deal with HR transition issues; these groups have a direct governance route to the HRTPF. The following partnership groups have been established:
- Health Education England
- NHS Commissioning Board
- NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre
- NHS Trust Development Authority
- NHS Property Services
- Public Health England
- Public Health transfer to local authorities.
HR policy, guidance and tools
The HRTPF has a significant programme of work and is engaged on workstreams across the HR Transition programme. A number of documents on key HR policy, guidance and tools have been developed with Trade unions, NHS, DH, and ALB representatives through the HR Transition Partnership Forum.
Key documents can be accessed here.
National HR Transition partnership events
The HRTPF has held two national partnership events for employer and staff-side representatives from across the DH, ALBs and the NHS. More information can be found here.
Key contacts
For more information about the HRTPF, please contact:
Karen Didovich, Staff Side Co-Chair, RCN - Karen.Didovich@rcn.org.uk
Gary Theobald, Cluster HR Lead, NHS Midlands & East - g.theobald@nhs.net
Georgie Whitfield, SPF Project Manager - georgie.whitfield@nhs.employers.org