Staff Information – 28th October 2020



Please note this page is set to private and only available to staff via the link provided

To all staff,

OUR COVID RESPONSE: CONSULTATION ON  LIMITED POTENTIAL REDUNDANCIES

Further to my communication last week, please see this important letter from the Hospice Chairman, Nigel Law and me.  Do also please watch this short video which unfortunately explains why we are now launching a two week formal consultation period which potentially effects some staff in certain departments.  Those potentially affected staff have all now been spoken to.

https://youtu.be/mGVCsPwk1iI

As before, can I re-assure you that we remain in a better position than many hospices in the UK and we believe we can continue to respond pro-actively to the Covid-crisis whilst continuing to deliver our core services.  We have had a positive take up in  requests for voluntary redundancy and requests to explore reducing hours.  Unfortunately, our work to-date here has not sufficiently bridged the gap to the approximately £500,000 of annual staff costs which we have identified may be saved. Sadly you will remember that ‘doing nothing’ is not an option as we may be looking at multiple years of deficits in the worst realistic case scenario.

Please do also read the below FAQs regarding the move now to formally consult on proposals effecting certain departments.  If you have any queries or concerns, please speak to your Head of Department, or David Warburton, HR Manager.   I too am happy to discuss any queries you have at any time.

Individual Department Consultation Documents can be viewed via the below links:

 

Changes to HR, Volunteering & Support Services following an agreed voluntary redundancy are as follows:

 

There will  be a couple of Chief Executive Briefing and Q&A Zoom sessions over the coming weeks.  The first one will be on Tuesday 10th November at 12 noon.  Details will be sent out in due course.

Whilst the proposed changes are limited in extent to approximately 18 posts including voluntary redundancies, can I ask that you be especially mindful and supportive to the approximately 30 colleagues who are in the position of formal consultation and ‘at risk’ at this stage.

Thank you for your support.

David Houston
Chief Executive