NHS England is to step up its efforts to get staff back to the office and warned of tougher monitoring, after previous attempts failed, HSJ reports.
A year ago, NHSE announced staff without special exemptions would have to work from the office at least 40 per cent of their time, starting from April. It said it would review how this was being implemented after six months.
But a briefing for senior managers from late last year, released to HSJ under the Freedom of Information Act, reveals that, despite the request, “we can see from our audits of office capacity that many people aren’t doing this, and I imagine some aren’t even doing 20 per cent”.
It adds: “We’re looking at how to monitor office attendance more closely if we are still not seeing the number in the office we should be.” The document, from November, urged managers to “visibly lead this way of working” and warned staff will lose eligibility for their “high cost area supplement” if they do not meet the 40 per cent requirement at their “contracted base” office.
It also highlighted changes made to NHSE offices to help, including “workplace adjustment pods” which are “noise cancelling” with controlled lighting and ventilation, as well as additional adjustments for neurodiverse staff. It acknowledged some offices have a shortage of space that requires teams to coordinate office days.
As in other office-based sectors, many NHSE staff worked from home during the height of the covid pandemic and have since only partly returned. Some major firms are now demanding staff work from the office full-time, while others encourage a mix of home and office. Under the previous government, Cabinet ministers encouraged civil servants to limit home working.
Minutes from a meeting of NHSE’s “future of hybrid working group” – also released to HSJ – show some concern about the scheme, with one member pointing out some staff in the South West could have a two-hour journey to their nearest office.
An NHS England spokesperson said: “While the vast majority of NHS staff are based in clinical settings or in the office, home working arrangements are only available when agreed by a line manager, align to office capacity considerations and when it has no impact on productivity.”
Date: 9 February