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Staff Handbook
Staff Handbook
This handbook contains a range of useful
information, some of which is contractual and some that is non-contractual. For further information,
please refer to the intranet.
May 2014 2
Staff Handbook
Who We Are and What We Do 4
Code of Conduct 5
Confidentiality and Security Statement 6
Pay Information and Grade Structures 7
Payroll Information 7
Contractual Entitlements 8
Staff Benefits 9
Allowances 13
Pensions 13
Expenses 14
Booking Travel 14
IT Support and Requests 15
Homeworking and Homeworkers Forum 15
Performance Development Review 16
Staff Survey 16
Equality and Human Rights 16
Staff Networks 17
Health and Wellbeing 18
Reasonable Adjustments 18
Corporate Policy Register 19
Whistleblowing 19
Safeguarding 20
Bullying and Harassment 20
Dignity at Work 21
Unions 22
Need More information? 22
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Staff Handbook
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of all health and social care services in England.
Until 31 March 2009, regulation of health and adult social care in England was carried out by the Health Care Commission (HCC) and the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). The Mental Health Act Commission also had monitoring functions in relation to the application of the Mental Health Act 1983.
The Health and Social Care Act 2008 established a single, integrated regulator for health and adult social care to replace these three bodies. The CQC was subsequently created in shadow form on 1 October 2008 and began operating on 1 April 2009.
We ensure that Hospitals, Care Homes, Ambulance, Dental and GP Surgeries and all other care services that support people in their own home or in other places in England are meeting national standards. We also look after the rights of people who
need extra support to stay safe including people who are detained under the Mental Health Act 1983.
People who use services are at the heart of all that we do and our commitment to understanding them has been the key to our success.
We do this by:
•Setting Standards of quality and safety that people have a right to expect whenever they receive care.
• Registering care services that meet our standards.
•Monitoring, inspecting and regulating care services to make sure that they continue to meet the standards.
•Protecting the rights of vulnerable people, including those whose rights are restricted under the Mental Health Act.
•Listening to and acting on your experiences.
•Involving the public and people who receive care in our work and Working in partnership with other organisations and Local groups.
What We Do
“We make sure health and social care services provide
people with safe, effective, compassionate,
high-quality care and we encourage care services
to improve.”
Who We Are
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Staff Handbook
•Challenging all providers, with the worst performers getting the most attention.
•Making fair and authoritative judgments, supported by the best information and evidence.
•Taking appropriate action if care services are failing to meet the standards.
•Carrying out in-depth investigations to look at care across the system.
•Reporting on the quality of care services, publishing clear and comprehensive information, including performance ratings to help people choose care.
CQC wants to support managers and employees to strive to uphold the highest standards of personal and professional conduct and behave in an ethical and professional manner. In line with CQC’s values and behaviours we want to encourage a culture where all employees are treated with respect, display integrity, and value equality and diversity.
Code of Conduct
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Staff Handbook
As an employee or person working on behalf of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in any capacity, e.g. permanent, temporary, secondment or agency, you must not discuss confidential matters outside the organisation unless you have the express permission of the Chief Executive or the information is in the public domain.
In the course of your employment/time with the CQC you may have access to information concerning the medical or personal affairs of vulnerable people, children, patients or staff both within agencies/care providers or the CQC whether in manual or computerised form. Such records and information are Strictly Confidential and unless acting on the instructions of an authorised officer, on no account must information concerning any of the above, be divulged or discussed except in the performance of normal duty.
In addition, records or computerised systems must never be left in such a manner that unauthorised persons can obtain access to them and must be kept in safe custody. Original manual records should not be removed from CQC offices, and if this is required, a copy should be taken and a log kept so that information can be tracked. All information taken off CQC premises remains strictly confidential, and should not be left unattended at any time.
Where statutory provisions, Data Protection Act 1998, Copyright, Designs and Patients Act 1988 and the Computer Misuse Act 1990 apply to the security of confidential information, such provisions must be strictly complied with. Any breach of these requirements will be treated as a serious disciplinary offence, which could lead to dismissal/immediate removal from the premises, and/or legal action.
Confidentiality and Security Statement
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Staff Handbook
Pay dates
Our standard pay date is the 19th of each month. The only times when this will change is if the 19th falls on a weekend or Bank Holiday, in which case the pay date is brought forward to the first preceding working day.
The table below shows the salaries and grades applicable to staff who work for CQC.
Grade National framework London framework
A £49,593 - £59,288 £54,138 - £63,833
B £37,043 - £44,313 £41,588 - £48,858
C £29,503-£34,244 £34,048-£38,789
D £24,796-£28,213 £29,341 - £32,758
E £22,064 - £24,737 £26,609 - £29,282
F £19,027 - £21,364 £23,572 - £25,909
G £14,979 -£16,253 £19,524 - £20,798
Our payroll provider is outsourced to NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS). NHS SBS provides finance and accounting services to over 100 NHS Trusts and half a million NHS employees.
If you have any queries relating to your pay you should contact NHS Shared Business Services directly. SBS contact details are as follows;
Hours of Business: Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm Telephone: 0303 123 1144 Email: [email protected]
To assist SBS in dealing with your query successfully, you will need the following information;
•Your name
•Your assignment number/payroll number- which can be found on your payslip
•The name of your organisation
Pay Information and Grade Structure
Payroll Information
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Staff Handbook
Annual Leave
•Qualifying period - None
•CQC Benefit - 27 days plus bank holidays. This goes up to 29 days after three years’ service, and 32.5 days after five years’ service.
•Statutory benefit - 20 days plus bank holidays.
•Average benefit (from other employers) – 25 days
Special Leave
CQC’s special leave policy covers a range of absences for which staff can apply:
•Dependent’s/carer’s leave
•Domestic emergencies leave
•Bereavement leave
•Disability leave
•Jury service or acting as a witness
•Public duties leave
•Parental leave
•Sabbatical for pursuing a personal interest
•Medical and dental appointments
To help staff understand the process, we have a policy document on our corporate policy register and a procedure and guidance document for staff available on the CQC Intranet.
Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Leave
The full CQC policy on maternity, paternity and adoption can be found on our corporate policy register page.
Briefly, some maternity, paternity and adoption benefits under the policy include:
•A pregnant employee is entitled to 26 weeks’ maternity leave, regardless of service.
Contractual Entitlements
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Staff Handbook
•An employee adopting is entitled to 26 weeks’ adoption leave
•Employees with parenting responsibilities for a new-born child, or newly placed for adoption, are entitled to three weeks’ paternity leave, which must be completed within 56 days of the child’s birth, or placement for adoption.
•An employee is entitled to return to the same job on the same terms and conditions or if this is not practical/possible, to suitable alternative employment.
Our procedure for arranging maternity, paternity or adoption leave and a guide for managers and employees is available on the CQC Intranet.
At CQC, permanent staff are eligible for a wide range of non-contractual benefits. The list of benefits available to staff is available on the intranet and a brief explanation of each can be found below:
Childcare Vouchers
CQC provides a childcare voucher scheme to help staff save money on childcare costs (via Computershare).
Childcare vouchers are a recognised payment method for registered childcare and they are easy to set up and use. Registered childcare providers can include nursuries, nannies, au pairs, crèches, holiday schemes, childminders, out of school clubs and that provided by qualifying independent schools.
The scheme offers savings on childcare costs of up to £1,196 per parent, per year, through reduced tax and National Insurance contributions in their salary. This equates to up to £2,392 per family each year.
Please note: Changes to childcare voucher legislation from April 2011, mean that higher rate tax payers will only be eligible to receive £28 per week in childcare vouchers - rather than the maximum of £55 per week - unless they are already in an existing scheme.
Staff Benefits
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Staff Handbook
Cyclescheme
CQC has signed up to the Government’s cyclescheme, encouraging people to cycle to work by subsidising the cost of buying a bike and accessories. CQC employees can save up to 50% off the price of a new bike and accessories from almost 1,500 bike shops across the UK.
Cyclescheme is the UK’s number one provider of tax-free bikes for work through independent bike shops and is run in accordance with the Government’s green travel plan (CQC receives a tax exemption to provide cycles and safety equipment to employees as a tax-free benefit).
Eye care expenses
All CQC employees are recommended to have routine eye care as part of general personal health care – opticians normally recommend that you have eye tests routinely every two to three years. Opticians charge a range of prices for eye tests from £8 to £20 for a test that usually includes near, far and intermediate vision assessment.
CQC will reimburse all permanent employees the reasonable cost of eye tests when they use display screens; i.e. computers and/or laptops for a significant part of their work duties.
Where an optician prescribes glasses for use with display screens, CQC will reimburse up to £50 towards the cost of glasses.
Salary Advances
If you are a CQC employee and you have completed your probationary period, you are eligible to apply for a salary advance. This can be up to a maximum of £5,000 interest free, and can be used for the following purposes:
•Travel season tickets
•Parking permits
•Purchase of a vehicle for business use
This allows you to take advantage of reduced rates offered when you pay up-front, rather than monthly.
The loan is then repaid through your salary over an agreed period up to a maximum of 12 months.
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Staff Handbook
Employee Assistance Programme
The EAP offers you immediate access to 24 hour telephone counselling and legal information services, provided by an independent health and wellbeing provider.
FirstAssist’s experienced and qualified telephone counsellors provide around the clock support to help you with a wide range of personal and work related problems in areas such as stress, relationship difficulties, bereavement, anxiety, family worries, alcohol/drug abuse, employment, or financial concerns.
FirstAssist can be contacted on - Telephone: 0800 716017
NHS Fleet
NHS Fleet Solutions gives permanent CQC staff access to a scheme that provides competitively priced and trouble-free motoring. Under the scheme, you are provided with a car for a lease period of three years.
There is no deposit and costs are fixed for all elements for the duration of the agreement. The car will be insured for you and up to four named drivers (who must be legally entitled to drive).
At the end of the three-year period you return the car with no additional charge, as long as the vehicle meets the return standards and you have not driven more than the agreed contracted mileage.
Payroll Giving
CQC’s payroll giving scheme means staff can donate to their chosen charity tax free.
Donations are taken from pay by SBS, CQC’s payroll provider, before tax is calculated and paid in full to the charity. Without this arrangement, staff would have to complete a self-assessment tax return to claim the tax back.
You can donate to a registered charity and other causes, such as a place of worship or school.
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Staff Handbook
CQC Rewards and Staff Discounts
CQC Rewards is an online portal, available for all directly employed members of CQC staff, which provides access to discounts and special offers, such as money off supermarket shopping, computers and clothes.
You can buy vouchers at a discount for shops like Sainsburys, Boots, and Amazon. For example, you can buy a £20 Boots voucher for £18 meaning that anything that you buy is at a 10% discount.
Within the system you can customise your homepage so that the deals most relevent to you appear first. For example you might always want travel deals to appear at the top of your page.
Healthcare Benefit
Through employment with CQC, you are able to access membership to two organisations offering health care plans. They are CS healthcare and Benenden health.
CS healthcare offers more traditional health insurance plans to public sector employees, while Benenden are a mutual organisation offering health care services on a discretionary basis.
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Staff Handbook
Operational Car User Allowance
The operational car user allowance (OCUA) is provided to staff who are employed in roles where the core purpose of the role is to visit services, and commissioners in order to undertake regulatory decision making. The individual must own a vehicle and declare that they will use their personal vehicle for the purposes of travel on CQC business.
Homeworker Allowance
Homeworker Allowance is a monthly allowance provided to staff who’s base of work is their home. Staff can apply for this allowance through the CQC intranet.
CQC operates the NHS Pension Scheme for all new starters and you will be automatically opted into the scheme. Pension contributions are taken from your pay before tax so you receive tax relief on any amount you pay. Employees can opt out at any time by asking SBS Payroll Service Desk for a Pension opt out form.
The main point of contact for all pay and NHS pension queries is the SBS Payroll Service Desk. Telephone: 0303 123 1144 and Email: [email protected].
If you are already in receipt of your NHS pension on joining CQC, or you can’t join the NHS pension scheme for any other reason, you will be placed into the National Employers Savings Trust (NEST).
You can also find out further details of the pay, pensions and benefits available to all CQC staff by visiting the CQC intranet home page.
Allowances
Pensions
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Staff Handbook
Expenses are reimbursed through your payslip on or about the 19th of each month, in accordance with our travel and subsistence policy which can be found on the intranet (add location).
There is also a second expenses payroll on or about the 1st of each month. You will find the dates for submitting expenses and the pay dates on our intranet and can claim CQC expenses using our online expenses system which is accessed through the CQC intranet pages.
We also provide an expenses user guide and a set of FAQs to help you submit expense claim forms Link.
Please note: All CQC staff are expected to adhere to our Travel and Subsistence policy and to ensure that all claims for expenses are supported by receipts.
Help with expenses
There is an expenses helpdesk in Newcastle to answer your queries. The helpdesk is open 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.
Email: [email protected]
Normally, rail, air and taxi travel as well as hotel accommodation should be booked through your Business Support Team.
In the unlikely event a hotel cannot find your booking, or you miss your timed rail departure, or for any other general queries, please contact your Business Support Team, who will be able to help you. Where this is not possible, you can call Redfern yourself on 01274 726424 available five days a week, between 8am and 6pm. Redfern can rebook you on the next train or sort out any hotel issues. For emergency bookings outside of these times, please call 01904 696440. Emergencies are defined as something that cannot wait until the following working day.
Expenses
Booking Travel
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Staff Handbook
The Commission has awarded an ICT contract to Atos IT Solutions and Services Limited. The online ICT self-service portal is available for all staff.
You can make requests for all ICT related equipment and services, such as hardware (laptops, monitors, Blackberrys etc), software (Microsoft Project, Visio etc), and all other services such as accounts for new staff, mailboxes, broadband lines etc). There is also the option of making requests for non-standard software/hardware or services. You will be able to use the ICT Service Portal as an online self-help tool and report all ICT issues or problems to Atos. This can be used as an alternative to calling or e-mailing the IT Service Desk.
The main advantage of this is that you will receive an instant call reference number enabling you to track the progress of your fault and add notes to any open faults - such as to add further information or advise the Service Desk if the problem is resolved.
CQC recognises that not all roles within the organisation are most effectively undertaken from a shared office environment, and that some roles are more appropriately designated as ‘home working’. We have a designated area of the CQC intranet relating to home workers.
The CQC home workers forum (HWF) represents the interests of home workers, its members acting as a ‘bridge’ between the home working environment and CQC’s office-based environment.
Forum members represent the views, ideas, concerns and suggestions of home-based colleagues. As a group, the members work together to explore solutions to concerns and issues, and put together working proposals to test ideas and suggestions on behalf of colleagues. The group cascades any corporate information relevant specifically to home workers, to the functions and/or directorates they represent.
IT Support and requests
Homeworking
Homeworkers Forum
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Staff Handbook
The PDR is a key element of performance management and employee development at CQC, aimed at enhancing employees’ development and engagement by:
•engaging with our vision, employee values and behaviours
•understanding our direction
•identifying an individual’s contribution towards CQC achieving its organisational objectives.
The PDR process integrates the behavioural competencies (our employee values and behaviours in practice) and the leadership principles. All staff will have an end-of-year PDR review meeting with their line manager before the end of March and time to conduct the new cycle of PDR planning meetings during April. The documents for the PDR cycle can be found on our intranet.
The Staff Survey conducted at CQC is just one of many tools used to seek staff views on a range of topics. If you have any queries regarding the staff survey, please contact Rhonda Johnston or Maria Bertarelli in Organisational Development.
Equality, diversity and human rights (EDHR) are integral to everything we do at the Care Quality Commission.
Not only are we compelled by law to comply with EDHR legislation, as a progressive organisation we acknowledge equalities, diversity and human rights as essential elements of a progressive, modern organisation.
EDHR is essential to the way we work, the services we provide in our regulatory activities and in the way we act one with the other. EDHR is not a start and stop process - it is continually evolving and developing along with the organisation.
For further information on EDHR you can contact the EDHR team by clicking the following link: mailto:[email protected].
Performance Development Review
Equality and Human Rightsat CQC
Staff Survey
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Staff Handbook
Disability Network - membership of the disability network is open to all staff working within CQC, whether or not they classify themselves as having a disability. The Disability Network supports the social model of disability which makes an important distinction between ‘impairment’ and ‘disability’. The Disability Network challenges views and strives to ensure more positive outcomes for disabled staff in CQC. The group holds three meetings a year, in Newcastle, Birmingham and London.
Race Equality Network – is a staff group open to all CQC staff. In partnership with CQC leaders, its main aim is to support members in their personal and professional development. The group also works to promote equality and human rights for all staff, particularly those from Black and Minority Ethnic groups. The group discharges its aims by providing a forum through meetings where members support one another, share experiences and best practice.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Equality Network – is part of the CQC’s wider diversity networks championed by the chief Executive and nominated executive team member. It is a closed network and this means only staff who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Trans are able to join. The group aims to tackle discrimination through working with colleagues and other diversity groups in the Commission; and when necessary, it also challenges the Commission through the Human Rights Group.
Sports and Social – There is a wide range of sports clubs, interest groups and social activities you can join in order to meet colleagues who share your interests. On Our Community page you will be able to post your classified ads where to offer, sell or exchange things like concert tickets and unwanted presents.
Staff Networks
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Staff Handbook
We are committed to embracing and practicing the highest levels of health and wellbeing standards possible. Health and safety is a shared responsibility and as an organisation CQC places a great importance on ensuring that all staff can adopt an active - as well as reactive - approach to health and safety standards.
You will be able to find more information on:
•Our health and safety policy and guidance notes
•The latest health and safety latest updates
•Training (including workstation risk assessments and foundation training)
•Eye care expenses (including eye tests)
•Staff security
Getting support and more information
The Health and Safety Executive has a useful website full of advice and support and is available here.
Anybody wishing to report or comment on any health and safety related issue or matter, can do so by emailing: [email protected]
CQC provides a range of support and adjustments to support staff with health or disability needs. This includes occupational health referrals for advice on adjustments, personal assessments for home working equipment, specialist equipment, adjustments for chronic conditions, support for mental health conditions, voice-activated software, coloured filters and visual impairment software, and hardware support.
The reasonable adjustments policy is available on the corporate policy register. If you need advice to improve your comfort, reduce barriers to your success or think you may need a specialist assessment, please contact the HR Advice and Guidance team.
Health and Wellbeing
Reasonable Adjustments
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Staff Handbook
CQC has a number of policies that everyone should be aware of, either because they potentially affect everyone who works at CQC, or because they are so important to CQC’s regulatory work.
The Secretariat has developed a register of these corporate policies, to make it clear who owns each policy; to ensure that there are no duplications; and to make it clear when each policy is due to be reviewed.
If you would like to know more about any of the policies on the register, you can click on the policy name to see the document. You can also contact the member of staff identified as the lead officer. Each policy will, in time, be accompanied by an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) form which provides information on how the policy effects protected groups as defined in the Equality Act 2010 and any impact on human rights.
The policy register is a work in progress and will be updated on a regular basis, as the Secretariat receives information about new policies or is informed about changes to ones that are already in existence.
CQC’s is committed to taking all whistleblowing seriously, including whistleblowing from our own staff about CQC and from staff of other organisations about the providers we regulate.
CQC has joined with other regulators, professional bodies and trade unions to launch the Speaking Up Charter, a commitment to work together to support people who raise concerns in the public interest. You can read a copy of the charter on the intranet.
CQC corporate policy register
Whistleblowing
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Staff Handbook
Anyone working for CQC might be told about, or even witness, abuse.
•The National Customer Service Centre (NCSC) receives notifications, telephone calls, emails, letters and faxes from providers, people who use services, their families and the wider public.
•Inspection staff, provider relationship owners, registration assessors, second opinion appointed doctors (SOADs), Mental Health Act (MHA) Commissioners and the MHA Operations team may come across abuse when doing site visits or receiving information about service providers.
•Any other members of staff may become aware of an incident of abuse.
It is essential that we follow the correct procedures when dealing with safeguarding issues. You should find everything you need on the safeguarding section of the intranet. The information is mainly for Operations staff, but others may find it useful. If you need further advice, contact the safeguarding lead for your region.
CQC is committed to ensuring equal opportunities and fair treatment in the workplace for all staff.
One of the key aims of the policy is to enable CQC to provide a working environment in which all staff feel comfortable and in which everyone is treated with respect and dignity, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, transgender status, marital or family status, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, creed, culture religion or belief, age, disability or any other personal factor or quality. CQC will treat all complaints of harassment seriously and will investigate them promptly, efficiently and in confidence, so that the matter can be resolved as quickly as possible for all concerned.
CQC is committed to tackling incidents of bullying and harassment swiftly and decisively. Individuals should not feel that they have to put up with bullying behaviour at work, or feel unwilling or unable to complain for fear of further victimisation.
Safeguarding
Bullying and Harassment
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Staff Handbook
CQC recognises that people cannot contribute their best when under fear of harassment, bullying or abuse.
A strong stand is needed on this issue to enable people of all backgrounds to have dignity at work and enable them to fully contribute to CQC’s success. Employees who raise a genuine complaint under this policy will under no circumstances be subjected to any unfavourable treatment or victimisation as a result of making a complaint, during and after raising the issue. Where appropriate and possible, managers and staff should try to resolve issues covered by this policy informally, using the specific guidance contained in this policy and separate procedure and guide. Where resolving matters informally is either inappropriate or has failed, CQC’s Grievance Policy will be used to raise concerns of bullying and harassment formally.
The Dignity at Work Scheme was set up as a means of providing support for all staff with concerns around bullying and/or harassment.
The aim of the scheme is to provide a ‘listening ear’ via Dignity at Work Advisors (DAWAs), who will support staff in an informal setting to allow them, to:
•Feel supported and better able to deal with issues
•Gain a good understanding of the options available to them
•Receive confidential advice
•Be supported at informal discussions by the DAWA
Dignity at Work Advisors can also offer advice and support to staff who have been accused of bullying or staff who may have witnessed inappropriate behaviour towards colleagues. You will be able to find further information in the Zero Tolerance on Bullying and Harassment policy on our intranet.
Dignity at Work
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Staff Handbook
CQC has signed a Recognition and Facilities Agreement and the following unions are recognised for the purposes of collective bargaining, consultation and employee relations:
•UNISON
•Royal College of Nursing (RCN)
•Prospect
•Unite
•PCS
The unions are represented both locally and nationally within CQC lead representatives who participate in collective bargaining negotiations on behalf of their members.
If you would like more information about partnership working and are interested in joining a union or becoming a learning, health and safety representative or steward, please email Stephen Robertshaw who is the Trade Union Staff Side Secretary at: [email protected].
The Welcome Team is happy to respond to any queries you may have and can be contacted by emailing: [email protected].
Trade Unions
Need More Information?
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