2. Equal Pay and Challenges

Pam Case, senior project manager, and Claire Wilson, project lead, from South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board share how they are supporting colleagues to increase T Level industry placement provision across their system. They reflect on the importance of early engagement with education providers, the benefits of tailoring support for different organisations and the importance of creating a network, with relevant sub-groups, to encourage others to offer T Level industry placements.

Sue Howard, head of workforce development and Phil Pennill, programme manager, both from Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board join us to discuss how they are upscaling T Level industry placements across their system. In this conversation, we explore the implementation and development of T Level industry placements in Greater Manchester, reflecting a city-wide effort to raise the profile of technical education and develop sustainable talent pipelines. Sue and Phil share the current T Level landscape, where it sits in the wider context and the challenges and opportunities in their work supporting industry placement expansion as an Integrated Care Board.

Mandy Tuckey, ICS apprenticeship and widening participation programme lead, and Kate Loram, ‘We Want You’ project support officer at One Gloucestershire Integrated Care System (Gloucestershire ICS) join us to discuss how they are upscaling T Level industry placements across the system. The conversation explores the successful expansion of T Level industry placements, the ICS's strategic vision for the future and its commitment to strengthening the healthcare talent pipeline. Key themes include the power of collaboration with local colleges, providing tailored support to diverse organisations and navigating the challenges of implementation.

Shilpa Bhatt, apprenticeships and widening participation lead and interim retention lead at Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West Integrated Care System (BOB ICS) shares reflections on how the ICS supporting the upscaling of T Level Industry placements across the system.

This conversation explores the important role of job evaluation within the NHS, addressing the challenges and misconceptions that comes with it. Hosted by Chioma Ezenwoye, the discussion brings together Andrea Thomas and Louise Chinnery, co-chairs of the NHS Staff Council Job Evaluation Group. They highlight the importance of regularly updating job descriptions, ensuring fair pay, and fostering partnership working to drive effective job evaluation. The conversation also debunks common myths surrounding job evaluation and provides valuable resources for employers looking to improve their practices.

In this podcast, Stephen Weeks hosts a discussion with Claire Tierney and Cheryl Samuels about improving staff experience in NHS organisations. They explore various approaches, including the RISE framework at University Hospitals Leicester and flexible working initiatives at the Evelina Hospital. The conversation highlights the importance of continuous improvement, listening to staff feedback, and addressing inequalities in the workplace. Both leaders share insights on how their organisations have successfully implemented changes that enhance employee engagement and retention.

Colleagues talk about the implementation of agenda for change and it brought about improved relationships with trade unions.

Colleagues provide an introduction to the old structures, and the practicalities of what they were like to navigate in practice.

Colleagues reflect on the important equal pay case that was a turning point in the NHS, including the challenges and complexities the Whitley Council structures brought.

Reflections on the improvements made when the NHS moved over to the agenda for change system