Yorkshire & Humber

Find out more about the Yorkshire and Humber SPF.

The Yorkshire and Humber (Y&H) SPF was set up by employers, trade unions and NHS Employers engagement team North, to pursue their common purpose of developing a world class health service, delivered by a world class workforce, in the NHS in Yorkshire and the Humber.

The partnership forum recognises respective roles and responsibilities, establishes shared values and common purpose and sets key principles for effective joint working. This provides important benefits including ensuring high standards of employment practices in the health services and improved services for patients and users.

The Y&H SPF is co-chaired by joint staff side chairs - Charlie Carruth, Regional Organiser, UNISON and Elaine McAvoy, Regional Coordinator, BMA together with managements side chair Nick Parker, Executive Director, People and Organisational Development, Sheffield Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

For further information please contact the North team.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a renewed focus on issues raised by staff moving between organisations, and in Y&H the regional SPF has been a key forum for discussing this subject.

Conversations in Y&H have focused on staff movement between NHS and social care organisations, and how to ensure that when this happens, there are suitable assurances and support for both employers and employees.

Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust had already developed a local workforce sharing agreement for this purpose, and Y&H SPF decided that if considered and approved in partnership with staff side, this document could be used as the basis for a regional agreement.

Workforce Portability Agreement for the COVID-19 response to supporting Social Care

Some additions were requested by staff side, to ensure that this document:

The workforce sharing agreement was formally signed-off by the joint chairs of the Y&H SPF and circulated in the region.
1. Emphasises that all staff moves should be undertaken with the consent of the staff member.
2. Highlights the evolving situation around risk assessments for vulnerable groups.