The NHS is to launch a new £300m payroll system that will provide HR
professionals with information on sickness absence, overtime and staff training
across the healthcare service.
Andrew Foster, the NHS’ HR director, announcing the launch at the
Association of Healthcare Human Resource Management’s national conference, said
the new system would be piloted at 30 sites next year and stressed its
importance to the future of the service.
"You get a complete picture of people’s careers and it’s going to be a
huge tool at local, and ultimately national, level," he says.
"It’s the biggest payroll system launch in the world and is being
backed by a £300m investment.
"It will give us a great picture of the workforce and helps with the
implementation of the skills escalator," he says.
Tracy Myhill, AHHRM’s new president, told Personnel Today that the new
system will provide consistent information on employees across the NHS.
She explained, "At present each trust has its own system, some of which
are very good, but others are archaic. The problem is that the present
disparate system means ministers can’t glean information accurately because all
the systems and measurements are done differently."
The new system will compile information on a variety of areas other than pay
and will allow HR managers easy access to data on sickness absence and training
across the NHS.
Myhill adds, "It will do a couple of major things. It will give us
access to good HR information on sickness absence, overtime, training and all
the key indicators that we need to monitor the effectiveness of the NHS.
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"It will also cut down on unnecessary duplication because if most
people are using the same system it will give us universal data across the
NHS."
By Ross Wigham
