07/11/2008

£500k Health Support Fund For Staff Development Announced

A new fund to promote and develop partnership between employers and trade unions has been announced by Health Minister Ann Keen.

Speaking at the NHS Employers conference in Birmingham, yesterday, the Minister launched ‘The Partnership Fund’, which will offer employers and unions in the NHS a chance to bid for support to help develop local partnership working.

Constructive joint working can help deliver improved patient services. This builds on the work done by the Special Partnership Forum (SPF) at national level, which has improved working relationships between the Department, NHS Employers and the trade unions.

It is anticipated this fund could be used in a number of ways such as joint training sessions and workshops, where employers and trade unions can develop local agreements about how they can work together to have a positive impact on NHS Services.

Health Minister Ann Keen said: "I want staff to feel supported and actively engaged in the organisation in which they work.

"Employers and unions working constructively together can make a real difference to the improvement of quality workplaces.

"This partnership approach will improve the quality of service that we offer our patients and ensure that workforce implications are considered."

The National Social Partnership Forum was re-launched in February last year and has already engaged trade unions and employers on important policy development issues such as World Class Commissioning, the NHS Constitution and the Next Stage Review.

(JM)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

27 February 2013
Over A Third Of UK Employees Opting Out Of Pension Scheme
The governments plan to boost workers retirement savings could be undone as research carried out for Aviva reveals more than a third of UK workers would opt out of any pension they are automatically enrolled into.
11 January 2005
NHS pension proposals anger trade union
The NHS employers group has announced controversial new pensions proposals, incurring the wrath of health service union Unison. The new proposals include increasing the retirement age from 60 to 65.
27 February 2004
Cash boost sees police foster closer partnership with community
Fourteen police forces are set to build community partnerships to tackle crime following a £700,000 government cash boost. The funding will support the creation of 14 new Policing Priority Areas (PPAs) to help forces promote effective partnership working in neighbourhoods.
06 April 2009
Flexible Working Rights For Parents
Millions of parents with children under 16 will today be eligible to ask employers for flexible work arrangements. An extra 4.5 million parents – in addition to the six million parents and carers who already have the right – will be able to ask for flexible working arrangements.
03 September 2003
Guide aims to help employers implement 'teleworking'
An increasing number of people are working away from a traditional office environment, often helped by modern technology, and a new guide launched today by government aims to help employers understand their responsibilities.