Nurses posts, admin posts and volunteer redundancies

Summary

The Department of Health and Social Care provided detailed statistics on nursing and administrative post vacancies as of July 2017 but withheld individual voluntary redundancy data due to privacy exemptions, though a total payout figure was disclosed.

Key Facts

• Total nursing posts across all service areas numbered 878, with 767 filled and 66 vacant as of 31 July 2017.
• Administrative posts totaled 192, comprising 148 filled and 44 vacant positions.
• Individual voluntary redundancy details were withheld under Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.
• The total amount paid for voluntary redundancies over the last three years was £273,201.33.
• Some nursing data for Adult Services Social Care was withheld due to small numbers posing data protection risks.

Data Disclosed

• 31 July 2017
• 878
• 767
• 66
• 192
• 148
• 44
• £273,201.33
• Section 25
• Data Protection Act 2002

Exemptions Cited

• Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (absolutely exempt personal information)
• Data Protection Act 2002 (data protection principles regarding fair and lawful disclosure)

Data Tables (2)

Full Response Text

Department of Health and Social Care

Rheynn Slaynt as Kiarail y Theay

Page 1 of 4 FOIA/DHSC/rvsd/01

Chief Executive: Malcolm Couch

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 12 October 2017 IM97-001i

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 30 July 2017 Your request You asked for: Question 01: “The number of posts available for differently qualified nurses and by category, the number of vacant posts now.”

Following clarification it was agreed to request the following information:

“All current posts, as at 31 July 2017, at the various nursing grades, by number separated classified as either vacant or filled” Question 02: “The number of admin staff posts, the number of vacancies now”

Following clarification it was agreed to request the following information:

“All current posts, as at 31 July 2017, in the admin grades (administrative officers and administrative assistants)” Question 03: “During the last three years how many staff took voluntary redundancies, and the amount paid out as a lump sum payment.”

Following clarification it was agreed to request the following information:

“The total number of staff taking voluntary redundancy and a total of the sums paid out in voluntary redundancy payments – provided individually (i.e. not as one total amount)”

Page 2 of 4 FOIA/DHSC/rvsd/01 Response to your request We are pleased to be able to provide a response to your request with answers to some your questions; the statutory exemptions are shown as part of the corresponding answers below. Question 01: All current posts, as at 31 July 2017, at the various nursing grades, by number classified as either vacant or filled In response to Question 01 please see the table below: Service Area Band No. of filled posts* No. of vacant posts† No. of posts not yet in active recruitment± No. of posts in recruitment process§ Total posts Community Health Band 05 50 2 0 5 57 Band 06 38 2 0 0 40 Band 07 27 1 0 0 28 Band 08 14 1 0 0 15 Total 129 11 0 0 140 Mental Health Band 05 53 2 0 0 55 Band 06 58 0 1 15‖ 68 Band 07 44 7 2 59 Band 08 22 7 2 0 31 Total 177 16 5 15 213 Adult Services Social Care Band 05 ¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ Band 06 Band 07 Band 08 Total ¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ 13 Noble’s Hospital / Acute Care Band 05 189 24 2 24‖ 233 Band 06 121 10 1 135 Band 07 67 4 1 74 Band 08 35 0 1 37 Total 412 38 5 24 479 DHSC Total 767 66 13 40 878

• important: these figures are reflective of headcount only; the posts here do not reflect the full time equivalents (FTEs). Some of these posts will therefore be for full-time staff (1.0 FTE), some will be for part-time (<1.0 FTE) † includes less than five posts required to cover for maternity leave or secondments for career progression ± posts not yet being actively recruited to § posts currently within the recruitment process although the candidate has not yet started (for example, awaiting checks, documentation); are pre-registration nurses (trained in last cohort at Keyll Darree and awaiting registration documents); or where interviews have already been set ‖ The figures indicated here have been combined for data protection purposes as they reflect staff currently in post and those who are about to be in post. This is in line with best practice for handling and publishing small data ¶ The figures indicated here are too small to publish for data protection purposes as they reflect staff currently in post and those who are about to be in post. This is in line with best practice for handling and publishing small data

Page 3 of 4 FOIA/DHSC/rvsd/01 Question 02: All current posts, as at 31 July 2017, in the admin grades (administrative officers and administrative assistants) In response to Question 02 please see the table below: Administrative Grade Number of Filled Posts Number of Vacant Posts Total Number of Posts Assistant (AA) 78 28 106 Officer (AO) 70 16 86 Total 148 44 192

Question 03: The total number of staff taking voluntary redundancy and a total of the sums paid out in voluntary redundancy payments – provided individually (i.e. not as one total amount) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in response to Question 03, we are unable to provide any of the information you have requested because it is absolutely exempt under section 25 of the Act (absolutely exempt personal information). The reasons why that exemption applies are that the Department of Health and Social Care is satisfied that the information amounts to personal data under the Data Protection Act 2002; and is satisfied that disclosure of the information would contravene one of the data protection principles, namely that the Department can only disclose the information where it would be fair, lawful and meet one of the conditions in schedule 2 or schedule 3 and in this case, none of those conditions have been met.
However, hopefully it would be helpful to know that in the last 3 years the total amount paid out for individuals taking voluntary redundancy £273,201.33. 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.
   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.

Page 4 of 4 FOIA/DHSC/rvsd/01 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