The PCT has the following policies in place relating to Human Resources:

The NHS Plan makes a commitment to invest in NHS staff. It recognises that a modern NHS must offer staff a better deal in their working lives. Improving the working lives of staff contributes directly to better patient care through improved recruitment and retention - and because patients want to be treated by well-motivated, fairly rewarded staff.

The way NHS employers treat staff will, in future, be part of the core performance measures and linked to the financial resources they receive.

The Improving Working Lives standard has been developed through consultation with staff, unions and professional bodies. It describes the commitment expected from NHS employers to create well-managed, flexible working environments that support staff, promote their welfare and respect their need to balance work and home life.

The PCT has recently achieved the first level in the standard, 'Practice'. There is an Improving Working Lives staff group, with staff representatives from across the PCT area, from a wide variety of disciplines and grades.

If you would like further information about IWL, please contact:

The physical process of paying our staff is through the Shared Services Payroll Department at Victoria WareHouse. The majority of staff who have pensions are contracted in to the NHS Pensions Agency

We want the PCT to be a model environment for learning and personal development and for this reason have developed a Lifelong Learning strategy, which set out our aims and objectives. We believe that Lifelong learning is about growth and opportunity, about making sure that our staff, and the teams they relate to and work in, can acquire new knowledge and skills, both to realise their potential and to help shape and change things for the better. We believe that learning and development are key components of our vision to deliver patient centred care.

We will ensure that every member of staff participates in regular appraisals. These will include agreed performance objectives and the setting of personal/professional development plans. Learning and development opportunities will be made available to staff based upon these development plans and in line with training needs identified at both a directorate and PCT level. Development opportunities will be organised in such a way as to ensure accessibility for all, including those with different working patterns.

We will provide effective induction arrangements for everyone so that new staff are clear about the PCTs aims and vision and their role within it and opportunities will be created for staff to work in teams and across traditional boundaries in recognition of the positive contribution this can make to improved patient focused care. Where necessary, support will be provided to facilitate effective team working. Education systems increasingly reflect the opportunities that information technology provides for innovative learning delivery and we will support this wherever we can.