Annual report 2010/11 - East Cheshire NHS Trust

The people whowork hereWe undertook acomprehensive staffengagement andlistening exercise.Our staffDuring 2010/11 we continued to pursue our OrganisationalDevelopment (OD) Plan, to understand, develop, andtransform the culture of the trust; in other words“changing the way we do things”. We undertook acomprehensive staff engagement and listening exercise aspart of the “Your Voice” culture change programme, to helpus learn more about how we can improve the working livesof staff, and continue to improve the quality andsustainability of the services they provide duringincreasingly challenging times.The trust will continue to deliver actions that resulted fromthis stage of the OD plan through 2011/12, ensuring theysupport the ongoing delivery of high quality patient care –and link to the wider development of the trust, and supportour transformation to a successful integrated health carefoundation trust.Learning and developmentThe trust continues to be committed to a culture of lifelonglearning, and to ensuring that staff are safe to practise, thatthey maximise their potential, and are able to provideexcellent services to patients.During 2010 we improved the appraisal process, andsupported managers with effective appraisal training, todeliver a better quality of appraisal. This resulted inincreasing numbers of staff having an appraisal, producinga personal development plan, and feeling that the processhad made a positive difference.We have begun to develop our relationships with localeducation providers to support staff development duringchallenging times. The trust has also signed up todeveloping a consistent approach to mandatory trainingwith other health organisations across the North West – toensure that staff across the region are appropriately skilledto provide high quality services to patients.Management and leadership development will be a focusfor 2011/12, particularly supporting the development ofleaders from clinical professions. The trust is also planningto increase the use of e-learning and other innovative andcosts effective ways to deliver training and development.Relationships with the unionsIn preparation for becoming an integrated organisation inApril 2011, the acute and community divisions integratedthe Joint Consultative and Negotiation Committee (JCNC)meeting and Partnership Forum (Community) to becomeone forum bringing together staff side representatives fromboth organisations. The new format has been exceptionallywell received and is working well with a new staff side chairfrom the Community Services Business Unit and a new LocalNegotiation Committee (LNC) chair from the acute division.3839