Tough NHS HR targets seen as unrealistic

Health service personnel managers and unions have questioned whether tough NHS performance targets set by the Government can be put into practice.

Newly elected president of health service HR managers body AHHRM Sally Storey said the 60-point framework was overwhelming and claimed it will be impossible for trusts to meet the deadline.

“We welcome the focus on HR and on its performance. But we have concerns about management capacity in the NHS and its ability to deliver it.”

She added, “We are short of staff at managerial level, and reduction initiatives have worn away our management capacity to the limit.”

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MSF head of health Roger Kline welcomed the HR targets but said previous experience showed that trusts would struggle to implement the policy.

“We still have concerns about whether some trusts will prioritise good employment practice and doubts about the skills and capacity of HR staff in some trusts and at regional level,” he said.