CAFCASS MINUTES HEALTH & SAFETY STEERING GROUP 18.07.2013 VC Sanctuary, Manchester and Runcorn Attendees Apologies JS SJ SK PS PF MM NK SH DP DJ RF TM Jabbar Sardar (Director of HR & OD) (chair) Shabana Jamal (Head of Service) Steve Kerr (Business Manager NBC) Terry Johnson (National HS&W Advisor) Paul Sambrooks (Unison) Penny Forman (Unison) Mike McClelland (Napo) Nicola Kenney (Napo) Steve Hornby (Napo) David Palmer (HR) David Jolly (Unison) Ruth Fields (Napo) Tony Mercer (Napo) 1.0 MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES ITEM 1.1 1.1.1 1.2 1.2.1 Accuracy No issues to record Terms of Reference The Terms of reference to be re-circulated and agreed subject to any final comments. ACTION / BY WHOM 18.07.2013 Page 1 of 6
1.3 1.3.1 1.3.2 1.3.3 1.3.4 1.4 1.4.1 1.4.2 1.5 1.5.1 1.6 1.6.1 1.7 1.7.1 Telephony issues SK had contacted Pete Spedding not possible to provide a general override for VOIP handsets. Likelihood that no phone line would be available considered to be very low however office Health & Safety manual to include advice for at least one Business Support handset to remain logged on. NK advised SK that the matter raised at the previous meeting is no longer an issue. SK confirmed that the Estates & Health and Safety BSO checks mobile phone signals when visiting proposed office locations to report any reduced signal to IT. Risk assessment 3 rd party premises SA reported that Heads of service had agreed at OMT that for new locations the Office Manager would carry out the assessment check and furnish the relevant union H&S rep with results. PS suggested that it may be helpful to include a check of 3 rd party risk assessments during workplace inspections. Musculoskeletal absences reported that a check of musculoskeletal absences did not indicate that there was any connection between an increase in these due to the switch to self assessment of DSE workstations. Workplace Inspections outlined the current position in regard to a revised WPI, whereby the Estates & Health and Safety BSO would meet with each Office manager annually to discuss in depth all health and safety matters arising over the past 12 months. The ensuing report would detail results of the most recent WPI and would highlight any failures to implement actions identified. These failures to implement would be included within the overall risk rating for each location. The annual, report would be shared with the relevant Head of Service. Trade Union partners would still receive invitations to the WPI carried out by the BSO. Dragon software reported positive feedback received regarding the use of Dragon with the new laptop. 18.07.2013 Page 2 of 6
1.8 1.8.1 1.8.2 1.8.3 1.8.4 IT equipment SH queried if there had been any feedback yet on the use of the new tablet, for example whether it could be used with a monitor attached, or requires an adaptor. PF stated that a separate keyboard and mouse could be attached to the tablet, with the tablet being lifted to use as the main monitor screen There was a discussion regarding the provision of keyboard and mouse JS asked SK to confirm the position with IT in regard to the blanket provision of an additional keyboard or mouse, however JS confirmed that if an additional keyboard or mouse were required for health and safety reasons one would be provided. PS reported that he is aware of incidents where there had been a reluctance to provide an additional keyboard or mouse where one had been requested. SK 2.0 BUSINESS ARISING FROM AGENDA ITEM 2.1 2.1.1 2.1.2 2.1.3 2.1.4 2.1.5 2.1.6 Review of statistics and trends: Accidents and incidents 2012/13 21 incidents had been reported between April and June 2013, compared to 19 in the same period for 2012. Verbal abuse remains the highest number of incidents reported (5) followed by threats of violence and near misses (4) minor injury (3), intermediate injury and property damage (2) act of physical violence (1) The two intermediate injuries had been reported to the Health and Safety Executive under RIDDOR as they involved a member of staff being absent for more than 7 days. The causes of incidents were predominantly service users and was split evenly between male and female service users, compared to 2012 which was predominantly male service users. Others behaviour accounted for the highest number of incidents reported. The intermediate injuries resulted from slips and falls MM queried whether there is the potential for an increase in violent incidents due to the increase in litigants in person that may result in ACTION/ BY WHOM 18.07.2013 Page 3 of 6
2.1.7 2.2 2.2.1 2.2.2 2.2.3 2.2.4 2.2.5 2.2.6 2.2.7 tempers becoming frayed; MM suggested that incidents should be monitored and that co-operative work be carried out with courts. SA stated that this is already undertaken in A3; MM requested that SA provide a report on this to the meeting. Review of statistics and trends: Sickness absence There has been a continued reduction in sickness absence with the number of days lost per social worker for the 12 months to June 2013 reducing to 7 (including leavers) or 5.3 (excluding leavers and non social workers to 5.47 (including leavers) or 4.5 (excluding leavers). Over the past three months from April to June, however these figures showed a further improvement with the number of days lost for social workers including leavers reducing to 5 compared to 7 and non social work reducing to 4.6 compared to 5.5. It was noted that whilst there had been a significant reduction in social work staff absences, there had been a relative increase in the level of non social work absence. The overall reduction from April compared to the previous 12 months indicates an association between the introduction of the Health and Wellbeing Plan and increased absence reduction. The cost savings due to this increased reduction being sufficient to fund the Health and Wellbeing Plan. Whilst there had been a reduction in mental health related absence there had been an increase in musculo-skeletal and medical issue related absence. It was suggested that the health and wellbeing plan should be promoted to help reduce length of absence particularly for musculo-skeletal issues, although 38% of the 403 staff using the health and wellbeing plan have used it to fund complementary therapies, which relates to a 30% reduction in absence due to musculoskeletal issues. In addition there has been positive feedback regarding the introduction of the new EAP, in particular the first day stress intervention programme; with reports being received that the service has been excellent and very good, resulting in earlier and better managed returns to work. A query was raised in regard to whether or not there is any evidence to show that the HSE s stress indicator tool has been useful. reported that where it had been used with individuals to identify the areas of work that the person felt was causing pressure, and thereby help to identify specific solutions for that individual, it SA 18.07.2013 Page 4 of 6
seems to have been of benefit, however when used with teams of people, because the indicator score is the overall average of all staff returning a response it was possible that staff who were reporting significant concerns could be missed; and also that if the response group was small results from staff who do not feel they are under significant pressure may not affect the overall result, which could lead to a skewed picture. 2.2.8 3.00 3.1 3.2 4.0 4.1 4.2 JS outlined the introduction of a 1 hour career coaching service included as part of the new EAP Change to Occupational Health Provider As from the end of July occupational health services would transfer from Atos healthcare to Health Management Limited (HML). outlined the Government Procurement Service s tendering process, which resulted in Cafcass running a mini-competition between Atos, Capita and HML. SH requested circulation of the standards and service provision. Use of Mobile Phones NK requested that the wording to be used to update the mobile phone policy in regard to use of mobile phones when driving be revised. SH sent a form of words to for to consider and to issue a revised entry for discussion. 4.3 Concern raised to ensure that no one would be taken to task for not answering a mobile call when driving. 5.0 AOB 5.1 PAT testing 5.1.1 5.1.2 5.2 5.2.1 PS raised concerns that when Blackberry chargers are handed in to be tested there is no facility to then enable the Blackberry to be charged as and when the battery runs down SK agreed to take away and discuss with Meeting on October 30 th JS stated that the meeting on 30 th may need to be changed to either the week before or the week after. DP to look at date and coordinate with National Partnership Committee SK/ DP 18.07.2013 Page 5 of 6
3.0 DATES AND TIMES OF NEXT MEETING October 30 th 2.15 pm 4.15 pm Unison Manchester rearranged to 28 th November 29 th January 2.15 pm 4.15 pm Unison London Euston 18.07.2013 Page 6 of 6