Department consults on proposed human resources strategy

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has published consultation proposals for a draft human resources strategy for the Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS).

The draft strategy was submitted to the Department by the Human Resource Strategy Steering Group, which was convened in September 1999. The establishment of this Group ensured a partnership approach to the development of the draft Human Resources Strategy.

The Group worked "to develop a comprehensive Human Resources Strategy aimed at delivering a better, fairer workplace for staff, and thereby deliver benefits for patients and clients.”

Outlining the scope of the proposals, the Director of HPSS Human Resources at the Department, David Bingham, said: "The Department recognises that high quality services will only be delivered by staff who are well trained, well motivated and supported by their employer. Accordingly, it wishes to develop a service-wide strategic framework of people management, underpinned by a human resource strategy for the HPSS."

Among the key themes of the draft Human Resources Strategy were the matching of future demands with supply of staff with the right skills to deliver high quality care to service users; attracting more people into the HPSS and encouraging them to stay for longer; improving the working lives of everyone in the HPSS; promoting equality and good relations among HPSS staff; and promoting effective and harmonious employee relations.

The consultation period for the draft Human Resources Strategy will end on 30 November 2001. The Department will then consider all the comments and produce and publish its own Human Resources Strategy for the HPSS. (MB)