States Resource Plan 2002 (P.132-2002) - amendment

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Lodged au Greffe on 27th August 2002 by the Human Resources Committee

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STATES OF JERSEY

STATES GREFFE

150 2002 P.132 Amd.

Price code: B

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At the end of paragraph (b)(i) of the proposition, after the words“Table 4.4 totalling£366,269,000 in 2003”, insert the words -

“ e x ce p t that for the said Table 4.4 there shall be substituted the revised Table 4.4 set out in the Appendix to the

report of the Human Resources Committee dated 13th August 2002, showing revised cash limits for each of the non- trading committees, to support the continued provision of an occupational health scheme in respect of all States’ employees”.

HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Report

Over recent years, successive Human Resources Committees have sought to enhance the manner in which the States manage the many issues surrounding ill-health absence. The strategy that has been adopted has included -

• th e application of a new policy on how departments should manage employees who have bad health records;

• th e development of a recording system that will capture data relating to ill-health absences; and

• th e employment of an organisation which provides specialist advice on occupational health matters.

These approaches have been pursued because it is recognised that ill-health absences can add considerably to employee costs. In addition, it is recognised that the employer owes a “duty of care” to all its employees and that this responsibility can only be adequately and effectively performed in a large organisation the size of the States of Jersey with the technical support and advice of occupational health specialists.

In 1997, the States of Jersey entered into a contract with a company called BMI to provide a whole range of services relating to occupational health. This included -

• p re -employment health screening;

• h ea lth surveillance of existing employees;

• p ro vision of impartial medical advice in the management of individual cases;

• re h abilitation after illness or injury;

• ad v ice on the likely effects of work upon health;

• g en eral counselling services;

• h ea lth promotion;

• ad v ice on capability for work, including early retirement on medical grounds.

These services have proved invaluable in supporting managers within the States of Jersey to adopt a much more proactive approach in the management of ill-health. It has also provided an independent source of advice to employees who are anxious about their health and how this might be affected by their work.

Notwithstanding the fact that the occupational health service has become an important feature of the management of ill- health within the States of Jersey, the funding of this service had never been incorporated within the revenue budget of the States Human Resources Committee. Thus, with the withdrawal of the temporary financial resources that had provided the funds to operate this service, the Human Resources Committee was obliged to bid for the appropriate funds to run the service as a “growth item” in the recent Decision Conference. However, its bid was not given sufficient priority to secure the funds that were required.

In recent discussions that have been held in connection with 2004 and 2005 revenue budgets, chief officers have recommended that the funds for the provision of an occupational health service in these two years should be “top sliced” in order to secure the necessary funds. Thus, it only now remains for the Human Resources Committee to secure funds for 2003 to ensure that an occupational health service can continue to be provided over the next three years.

In view of its importance and the responsibility of the States of Jersey to provide an adequate and consistent service for all its employees, the Committee believes that it is vital that the States retain occupational health advice and support from a central provider. It therefore proposes that for 2003 only, the funds that are required for the provision of such a service (expected to be in the region of £400,000), should be provided to the States Human Resources Committee from out of States’ revenues and that each Committee’s vote should be debited by an amount proportional to the number of employees that are employed by that Committee in order to cover the costs for 2003.

The contract of the present occupational health service provider, BMI, expires at the end of this year and it would be the Committee’s intention to obtain fresh tenders for the provision of such a service for the next three years. The Committee

would be happy for representatives of other States’ Committees to participate in the tendering process in order to ensure that there is continuing confidence in the future occupational health service provider.

The Human Resources Committee has taken this step reluctantly and only after other avenues for the provision of the appropriate funds had been exhausted. However, it is convinced that this service is vital, both in the light of the continuing concerns over the level of absence within the States of Jersey and also the potential litigation that might arise if the States do not adequately carry out their responsibilities with regard to their duty of care for all their employees. The States Human Resources Committee, therefore, calls upon all States’ Members and Committees to recognise the significance of this service by re-prioritising expenditure within cash limits and re-allocating a proportion of each Committee’s cash limits for 2003 accordingly, in order that an occupational health service can continue to be provided into the future. (A copy of the revised Table  4.4, indicating the re-allocation of funds in respect of the non-Trading Committees for the purposes of securing the future provision of an occupational health scheme is attached. A separate request for an appropriate level of funds will also be made direct to the Trading Committees.)

13th August 2002.

APPENDIX

HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE AMENDMENT TO 2003 CASH LIMITS IN TABLE  4.4 OF THE

STATES RESOURCE PLAN 2002

Table 4.4

Total States’ Net Revenue Expenditure 2002 to 2005 (Extract)

2003 Total Allocation of 2003 Net Revenue Occupational Total Net

Expenditure Health Scheme Revenue Committee £ £ Expenditure £

licy and Resources 3,774,600 (3,000) 3,771,600 nance and Economics 14,288,800 (22,900) 14,265,900 man Resources 2,894,100 332,700 3,226,800 anning and Environment 2,572,100 (4,000) 2,568,100 dustries 1,439,500 (1,100) 1,438,400 alth and Social Services 107,863,500 (126,700) 107,736,800 ucation 75,174,900 (87,100) 75,087,800 blic Services 17,848,500 (29,900) 17,818,600 riculture and Fisheries 8,218,100 (3,900) 8,214,200 urism 8,096,600 (2,300) 8,094,300 me Affairs 32,197,700 (32,000) 32,165,700 mployment and Social Security 81,569,100 (7,800) 81,561,300 using 1,175,000 (4,800) 1,170,200 use 3,900 0 3,900 gislation 47,000 0 47,000 ort, Leisure and Recreation 4,370,900 (6,800) 4,364,100 at Civil 76,500 (200) 76,300 erseas Aid 4,603,000 (100) 4,602,900 mbling Control (13,100) (100) (13,200) ttage Homes 183,200 0 183,200 rbours and Airport - La Collette (124,700) 0 (124,700) ecial Committee 9,800 0 9,800

tal Committee Cash Limit 366,269,000 0 366,269,000

neral Reserve

Pay award and pension 19,700,000 19,700,000 ntingency

n year unforeseen contingency 8,031,000 8,031,000

tal States’ Net Revenue 394,000,000 0 394,000,000 penditure