Don't forget
We are seeking employers' views to feed into the Department of Health consultation on the role and function of the Responsible Officer in medical revalidation. To have your say, please complete our short online questionnaire by 14 October.
Annual conference
Look at the developing trends in healthcare policy and how they might affect employers at Leading workforce thinking 2008.
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Email newsletter
NHS Workforce bulletin is your weekly update on HR and workforce issues in the NHS. Read the latest issue.
A part of the NHS Confederation working on behalf of the NHS
Employment policy and practice
We represent employers regionally, nationally and internationally, sharing good practice and feeding into policy in key areas including equality and diversity and professional regulation.
Quick links
Key issues
Outcome of Heyday challenge - default retirement age
The Advocate General has announced that UK national legislation that allows employers to retire employees at 65 or over, is not in breach of European law. Early next year, the High Court will now decide whether 65 can be justified as a retirement age. Regardless of the outcome, employers are advised to apply good practice in relation to Employment Equality (Age) Regulations to attract and retain skilled employees.
The Advocate General has announced that UK national legislation that allows employers to retire employees at 65 or over, is not in breach of European law. Early next year, the High Court will now decide whether 65 can be justified as a retirement age. Regardless of the outcome, employers are advised to apply good practice in relation to Employment Equality (Age) Regulations to attract and retain skilled employees.
Launch of the 2008 national NHS staff survey
Details of the 2008 NHS staff survey are on the way to survey leads in trusts. This year all trusts are required to conduct the survey and preparation work will need to be done during August and September. This year's survey remains largely unchanged; all 26 key scores are still included, providing consistency and the benefit of historic data. To support the delivery of the Next Stage Review (NSR) agenda, questions from the What Matters to Staff research will be included in the survey.
Details of the 2008 NHS staff survey are on the way to survey leads in trusts. This year all trusts are required to conduct the survey and preparation work will need to be done during August and September. This year's survey remains largely unchanged; all 26 key scores are still included, providing consistency and the benefit of historic data. To support the delivery of the Next Stage Review (NSR) agenda, questions from the What Matters to Staff research will be included in the survey.
Medical revalidation - principles and next steps
The Department of Health (DH) has published Medical Revalidation - Principles and Next Steps, which outlines proposals requiring doctors to renew their professional registration every five years. DH has launched a consultation on Responsible Officers and we will be seeking employers' views to feed into this. A series of pilots will begin in 2009 and will be followed by a staged implementation from the spring.
The Department of Health (DH) has published Medical Revalidation - Principles and Next Steps, which outlines proposals requiring doctors to renew their professional registration every five years. DH has launched a consultation on Responsible Officers and we will be seeking employers' views to feed into this. A series of pilots will begin in 2009 and will be followed by a staged implementation from the spring.
Equality Bill - full details published
The Government has published further details on the Equality Bill that aims to simplify and strengthen the law on equality and is now establishing a cross-government working group to develop the proposals, in preparation for introducing the Bill during the next parliamentary session (starting October 2008).
The Government has published further details on the Equality Bill that aims to simplify and strengthen the law on equality and is now establishing a cross-government working group to develop the proposals, in preparation for introducing the Bill during the next parliamentary session (starting October 2008).
Events
Leading workforce thinking
4-6 November, 2008
Leading workforce thinking, NHS Employers annual conference and exhibition 2008 is a key highlight in the year for senior workforce and human resource professionals in the health service.
4-6 November, 2008
Leading workforce thinking, NHS Employers annual conference and exhibition 2008 is a key highlight in the year for senior workforce and human resource professionals in the health service.
Equality and diversity: a clean bill of health
20 January, 2009
NHS Employers' equality and diversity conference in London takes place against the backdrop of a new single Equality Bill, with a programme designed to help delegates explore how far they have come within their own organisations and what more they need to do to meet the challenges of the emerging agenda.
20 January, 2009
NHS Employers' equality and diversity conference in London takes place against the backdrop of a new single Equality Bill, with a programme designed to help delegates explore how far they have come within their own organisations and what more they need to do to meet the challenges of the emerging agenda.
Publications
Navigating equality and diversity in the NHS (399 kB PDF)
The future of professional regulation (78 kB PDF)
Working with lesbian, gay or bi-sexual people (212 kB PDF)