GUIDELINES FOR ANNUALISED HOURS

INTRODUCTION

The West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust is developing a specific policy and procedure to support managers and members of staff in implementing an annualised hours contract. To find out more contact The Personnel Department.

GENERAL INFORMATION

An annual hours scheme aims to achieve a more even match between supply and demand for staff by distributing hours worked by staff to coincide with actual levels of need, thereby flexing the working year. The added flexibility to vary working hours over the year gives the individual and manager control to increase hours worked during the busier months (eg winter months) and reduce working hours when less busy (eg summer months).

This scheme would benefit staff who generally work on the Bank by including them on the ward/department establishment and making them a team member. They would also benefit from appraisal and development which is not included in bank staff contracts.

ISSUES

·         Agree minimum and maximum hours that can be worked weekly

·         Identify minimum staffing and skill mix required throughout daily/weekly cycle

·         Need to provide for unforeseen events

·         Identify strategy for leavers

CALCULATING HOURS

An annual hours scheme is based on a calculation of the hours to be worked in each year less holiday entitlement, eg: 37.5 hours per week = 1950 annual hours = 1687.5 working hours (less 25 days and 10 public holidays)

RECORDS

A system to keep track of hours worked must be agreed eg. a monthly timesheet which shows:

·         Total contracted hours

·         Total hours worked that month

·         Total hours remaining

·         Any leave taken and remaining leave

PAY ADMINISTRATION

Employees are paid the same monthly salary throughout the year based on their annual hours divided by twelve, regardless of the number of hours they work during any given month.

LEAVERS

When someone leaves it is important that there is an agreed procedure for dealing with any imbalance.

The notice period can be used to close any outstanding gap with an adjustment to the final salary.

However, the Trust will accept that, within limits, a need to ignore a shortfall of hours worked but will compensate the member of staff for a surplus of hours worked.

BENEFITS

·         Flexibility for members of staff and managers

·         Members of staff can participate in development programmes and appraisal

·         For those who were once bank staff will benefit from becoming a team member and be more motivated

·         Staffing levels can address seasonal differences

References:

Working Lives: Programmes for Change, Annual Hours

Nursing Standard: Organising the Workforce, Annual Hours in Nursing, Hazal Allanach. Vol 12. No 24 pp 33 –34, 1998