Nursing sickness and relocation packages

Summary

The Department of Health and Social Care responded to a request for data on nursing sickness absence and details of relocation packages for nurses. The authority disclosed specific absence figures and outlined the financial incentives and accommodation support offered to attract staff to the Isle of Man, alongside comparisons with UK and Irish schemes.

Key Facts

• 35 staff members who may be nurses or carry out nursing duties were absent due to illness at the time of the search.
• 32 health care assistants were absent due to illness at the time of the search.
• The Department offers a relocation package of up to £7,000 for nurses subject to receipt production.
• A recruitment incentive payment of up to £3,000 is available for Registered Nurse posts, paid in three instalments.
• Subsidised accommodation is available for up to 6 months to assist new employees in settling in.

Data Disclosed

• 35
• 32
• £7,000
• £3,000
• 6 months
• 2 years
• £250
• £10,560
• £8,000
• €6,000
• €1,500
• €250
• £5,000
• £13,000
• 40 miles
• 200 properties
• 2017-04-03
• 2017-05-02

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

Department of Health and Social Care

Rheynn Slaynt as Kiarail y Theay

Page 1 of 4 FOIA/DHSC/1718/01

Chief Executive: Malcolm Couch

By email:

Freedom of Information Team Department of Health & Social Care Chief Executive’s Office Crookall House Demesne Road Douglas Isle of Man, IM1 3QA Tel: Email: Website: Date: FOI Reference: (01624) 642621 foi.dhsc@gov.im www.gov.im/dhsc 02 May 2017 IM83-120i

Dear REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2015 (“the Act”) Thank you for your request to the Department of Health and Social Care, dated 03 April 2017 Your request You asked: Question 01: “Can you advise of the number of the following currently absent due to illness: a) staff who “may be a nurse or carry out nursing duties” b) health care assistants Question 02: “Can you please provide an example of a recent relocation package supplied to a band 5 or 6 nurse in order to attract them here” Question 03: “Can you please indicate how our relocation packages compares to those in the UK”
Response to your request We are pleased to be able to provide a response to your request with answers to your questions: Question 01: Can you advise of the number of the following currently absent due to illness: a) staff who “may be a nurse or carry out nursing duties” b) health care assistants In order to provide you with a response to Question 01, the Office of Human Resources ran a search following the date of your request and identified 35 members of staff who “may be a nurse or carry out nursing duties” who are currently absent from work due to illness; and 32 health care assistants who are currently absent from work due to illness.

Page 2 of 4 FOIA/DHSC/1718/01 Question 02: Can you please provide an example of a recent relocation package supplied to a band 5 or 6 nurse in order to attract them here In response to Question 02, the Department of Health and Social Care (“the Department”) offers a relocation package of up to £7,000 to nurses relocating subject to the production of relevant receipts. Anticipated costs for reimbursement include the preliminary visit, removal and storage of household effects, fees associated with buying and selling of property, relocation of dependants and miscellaneous expenses e.g. telephone, gas and electric connections.
In addition, Registered Nurse posts have proved difficult to recruit to so these posts are offered a recruitment incentive payment, up to the sum of £3,000. This is paid in 3 equal instalments of £1,000 in the 1st, 13th and 25th months of employment. Subsidised accommodation is also available for up to 6 months to allow employees to settle into their post without the added stress of seeking private/rented accommodation in an area that may be unfamiliar to them. The Department also offers financial assistance to staff relocating to the Isle of Man where they find their accommodation costs to be higher for a similar standard of property than that those paid prior to their move. This monthly assistance payment is made for a maximum of two years and will be either the difference in cost between the existing rent or mortgage and that in the Isle of Man, or £250, whichever is less. Question 03: 3. Can you please indicate how our relocation packages compares to those in the UK. In response to Question 03, a direct comparison of how the relocation package in the Isle of Man differs to those in the UK is difficult to define as the cost of living varies in each area. However, the Department has put together the following list of examples from across the UK and Ireland. It should be noted that there could be variations between hospitals within each location. Scotland
An NHS Trust in Dumfries and Galloway offers £10,560 as the maximum reimbursement. A private Hospital in Paisley, Scotland offers a £1000 welcome bonus and £1000 for those relocating within the UK.
Wales One NHS Trust offers up to £8,000 in relocation costs. In addition employees will be reimbursed the cost of journeying home to visit their family at weekends.
Ireland One hospital offers nurses who are relocating to Ireland a relocation package up to a maximum of €6,000. In addition, an accommodation allowance for month one up to €1,500 is provided as well as a return flight to the value of €250.

Page 3 of 4 FOIA/DHSC/1718/01 London A number of NHS Trusts do not offer relocation packages for Band 5 Nurses in London but do for more specialised roles e.g. Band 7 and above.
One NHS Trust in London that does offer relocation packages for some positions (including Band 5 and Band 6 Nurses) can provide up to £5,000 for those who meet required criteria. Essex
One NHS Trust offers 3 months free accommodation, £250 relocation fee in 1st months’ salary, the cost of flight to UK to be reimbursed and up to £100 for flight home as a holiday after passing 6 month probation. Bournemouth If relocating from more than 40 miles from the Trust then up to £13,000 relocation expenses can be claimed. An accommodation village of 200 properties is also available for employees at a reduced rate.
Bristol One NHS Trust offers a maximum amount of £8,000 when moving from owned property to owned property. When moving from rented accommodation to owned property and from rented accommodation to rented accommodation £4,000 is offered.
Dorset One NHS Trust offers a £5,000 relocation package.

Your right to request a review
If you are unhappy with this response to your Freedom of Information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post to the FOI Co-ordinator, Department of Health & Social Care, Chief Executive’s Officer, Crookall House, Demesne Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3QA. An electronic version and paper version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website www.gov.im/about-the-government/freedom-of-information/how-to- make-a-freedom-of-information-request/ . Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.
If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on:

1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act; or
2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.

Page 4 of 4 FOIA/DHSC/1718/01 In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision.
Further information about Freedom of Information requests can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at: www.inforights.im/information-centre/freedom-of-information. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact us. Yours Sincerely

Freedom of Information Team Department of Health and Social Care