Community Lives Consortium

Rota Management

How will the core times for additional support be defined?

• This will be defined at the care reviews.

Will this mean there will be more short shifts and spilt shifts?

• It is hoped that the rota will avoid split shifts. Any gaps between visits will be used as an on-call support response.

What happens to the ‘sleep-ins’? Will only the Support Co-ordinators be required to do them?

• Support Workers will provide the second person on-call response during the night time. Sleep-ins will still need to be covered and it is probable that both Support Coordinators and Support Workers will do this. We will need to keep this under review.

How will the rotas be done 6-8 weeks in advance?

• Rota software will be in place and it’s hoped that staff will have their rota 6 weeks in advance. The Team Coordinator will be responsible for this.

What about flexible working agreements?

• All flexible working agreements will be honoured.

Will there be a surplus of staff hours? How will staff fulfil their contracts?

• The rota will be designed so all contracted hours are used. Training and on-call responsibilities will be part of contracted hours so it is not anticipated that there will be surplus hours.

If staff have been transferred out of one service (e.g. for stress) will they now be expected to work there when needed?

• Previous place of work along with reasons for transfer will be taken into consideration when designing the rota.

Will staff need to complete their own time sheets?

• We will need to investigate whether the rota software will be able to do this. All staff will be required to continue to keep shift record sheets.

What if all the Support Co’s are absent at the same time– sickness annual leave etc?

• Annual leave should be planned to avoid all Support Coordinators being absent at the same time. The Service Coordinator will be available to cover absence or we may need to look at ‘acting up’ arrangements.

What about flexi cover for the registered care homes?

• There should still be the scope to flexi as all staff will have their rota in advance.

How will the Support Workers fulfil their role if the rotas are not structured?

• The rota software and the knowledge of the Team and Service Coordinator will ensure that the rotas are structured.

Will overtime stop?

• We will still need to cover absence so there will still be overtime.

How will staff get overtime?

• The Team Coordinator will have oversight of this. We will need to monitor during the pilot.

Will Support Co-ordinators be able to flexi?

• There will still be this possibility; however, if Support Coordinators are covering for a targeted support session where they are the second person then they will get paid at the Support Worker rate.

Will staff be required to work outside network 6 for flexi or emergency cover?

• There may be particular emergency situations where a staff member will be asked to provide cover elsewhere, however, this will not be rota’d. It is hoped that this will be kept to a minimum.

Will the annual leave allocation be the same for Support Workers and Service Co-ordinators?

• Yes.

What about family connections if support workers are mobile?

• We will need to ensure that relatives do not work alongside each other. The Team Coordinators will need to collate this information.

General Comments/Observations/Suggestions for Rota Management

• Concern whether staff will be able to maintain their current level of income.
• Staff not wanting to take part in pilot will be offered the opportunity to transfer to another network for the duration of the pilot. 
• When the Service Co-ordinator is working ’hands-on’ they will cover support co duties.
• On-call managers will need to be informed as to whether network 6 staff can be seconded during the piloting