bso business matters€¦ · secret santa it is traditional for all of us on the 7th floor to mark...

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B S O B U S I N E S S

M A T T E R S

Interim Director of

Finance-see inside

for details.

Inside this IssueInside this IssueInside this IssueInside this Issue

PagePagePagePage Budget Implications 1 Christmas Coffee Morning 2 New Senior Investigators 3 BSTP Website 3 Secret Santa! 4 Postal Warning 4 Financial News 5 Interim Director of Finance 5 Pension Changes 6 ICT Infrastructure 7-8

Budget implications for Health & Social Care Several BSO staff recently attended a workshop organised by the Divisional Council of the Institute of Health Managers (IHM) to look at the likely budget implications for Health and Social Care in N. Ireland. Unlike Scotland and Wales our devolved government has not agreed, at the time of writing this article, on an approach to the next spending review period, nor indeed has a draft budget been set for 2011/12. The speakers included Dr Andrew McCormick, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety; Mike Brennan from the Department of Finance & Personnel; John Compton, Chief Executive of the Health & Social Care Board.

Mike Brennan started the workshop by spelling out the stark financial consequences of the Westminster government’s decisions for public expenditure in N. Ireland. About £4.1b would be removed over the next 4 years - approximately 55% would come from revenue and the remainder from capital. Discussions are ongoing in the Executive about how the cuts should be distributed. Although health budgets had been ring-fenced elsewhere in the UK, agreement has still not been reached to apply this approach to N. Ireland.

Dr McCormick emphasised the need to retain our core vision for the health and social care sector, despite the turbulence. He said that the key challenges over the next 4 years remained the need to implement the public health strategy, with its emphasis on prevention, as well as focus on the triangle of quality, performance and finance. He also said that his approach was summed up in a quote by Ramsay Craig “Turbulence is life force, let us love turbulence and use it for change”. John Compton made the plea for politicians to engage meaningfully in the debate about priorities in health and social care - if there were cuts to health and social care budgets, then expectations about what could be delivered would have to change.

The feedback from members was that the seminar was well received. Speakers were praised for their candour and, while the financial future is very challenging, there was a sense that things weren’t quite as bad as they might have been.

David Bingham, Chief Executive

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B S O B U S I N E S S M A T T E R SB S O B U S I N E S S M A T T E R SB S O B U S I N E S S M A T T E R SB S O B U S I N E S S M A T T E R S

The next meeting of the Board will be held on 16 December 2010 in the

Boardroom, Franklin Street.

If you would like details of the agenda, please contact Amanda in the Chief

Executive's Office, (028) 90535580, or e-mail [email protected] or

click on www.hscbusiness.hscni.net

F O R T H C O M I N G B O A R D F O R T H C O M I N G B O A R D F O R T H C O M I N G B O A R D F O R T H C O M I N G B O A R D

M E E T I N GM E E T I N GM E E T I N GM E E T I N G

Christmas Coffee

Morning! The Social Committee plan to host a coffee morning on Thursday 9 December

between 10.00 and 11.00am, the proceeds of which will go to PEAT, a parent-led charity promoting the

science of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) for helping children with Autism. They provide training and

support in ABA to parents and carers, often in the home setting, through specific intervention

programmes designed for each child. PEAT’s goal is to improve the quality of life of children and adults

with Autism by using scientifically validated and effective intervention.

So put the date in your diary and attend - PEAT needs your support!!

I need lots of volunteers to make "GOODIES" to eat on the day - mince pies, tray bakes etc. I am sure

that in an organisation this size we have lots of people with baking talents who can make a donation to

help make the event a big success. It would be

appreciated if you could let me know by Fri-day the 5th

December what your contribution will be!

There will also be a draw for a range of Christmas

Hampers - just look at those goodies!

I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING INUNDATED WITH

YOUR OFFERS TO CONTRIBUTE!

Please feel free to contact me at any time:

Sandra Lowe - 9053 2972 or [email protected]

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New Senior Investigators...

Scott Stevenson joined the BSO in September of this year, taking up one of two new posts as a Senior Counter Fraud Investigator within Counter Fraud & Probity Services. Scott has been employed as a career investigator for the past 20 years serving in both Scotland and England with various organisations in both a general investigative function, and as a specialist fraud investigator.

A fully trained Crime Scene Investigator and Police Search Adviser, Scott brings a wealth of technical skill to the new role and is looking forward to working closely with many of the BSO departments as the new role in Counter Fraud expands.

A married man with two small children, Scott currently lives with his family in Lisburn and is a keen road cyclist and movie buff.

Gillian McCutcheon has over 18 years experience in the public sector, including the Police Service, Scottish Crime Squad, Drug Enforcement Agency, Local Government and the Housing Executive. She has extensive knowledge of investigative work dealing with complex and protracted enquiries targeting career criminals at the highest level to lower level but persistent criminals.

She has an expertise in covert surveillance and is also an Accredited Counter Fraud Officer. Over the past 8 years she has specifically dealt with fraud and fraud related issues. Gillian is well versed in evidence gathering techniques and legislative requirements including: RIPA, interviewing, Disclosure, Police and Criminal Evidence Act and the Human Rights Act.

Having worked in law enforcement for over 18 years Gillian has had lengthy practical experience of giving evidence and court room procedures. Gillian has received commendations for her integrity and professionalism both in giving evidence and her investigative ability.

She hopes to bring all her knowledge and experience to the Health Service and is looking forward to taking on the new challenge of secondary care.

Business Services Transformation

Programme (BSTP) Website

The BSTP website is up and running at www.bstp.hscni.net

Very soon the BSTP will launch a FAQ page with regard to Systems Replacement and Shared Services. The Shared Services Public Consultation and Response questionnaire will also be available on the website once it is released. If you have any queries, suggestions for improvement or general comments about the website, please contact:

Deepak Samson, Programme Support Officer, at 9064 4811, Ext: 433


Secret Santa It is traditional for all of us on the 7th floor to mark the spirit of Christmas with a Secret Santa. However, this year, after some discussion in the HR office, we have agreed that it would be more appropriate for us to get in touch with our social responsibilities and use the money we normally would have spent on gifts for the Secret Santa, to provide a Christmas gift for those who are more disadvantaged than ourselves.

We have decided that we would like to provide a pair of goats to a community in a third world country. We have priced a pair of goats at

£36 through World Vision (a bargain!!). These goats will provide milk, fertilizer and little kids for the chosen community. In order to do this, we would ask if everyone could provide £5 (or more if you wish to contribute more), for this worthy cause. Should there be any money left over, we could look at buying a donkey also at £39, or making a donation to the M&S Christmas Giving Tree Appeal.

Just for fun, we would like to provide names for the two goats. If you have any ideas please let me know and the best pair of names will receive a prize!

Any donations can be left with me. Many thanks:

Gerard O'Kane, Human Resources Adviser

Business Services Organisation

Direct line: 02890 535656

WARNING - PDS (Parcel Delivery Service)

The Trading Standards Office are making people aware of the following scam:

A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 (a Premium rate number).

DO NOT call this number, as this is a mail scam originating from Belize. If you call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will already have been billed £315 for the

phone call.

If you do receive a card with these details, then please contact Royal Mail Fraud on 020 72396655.

For more information, see the Crime Stoppers website:

http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/crime-prevention/helping-prevent-crime/scams/postal-

delivery-scam

The BSO has been working hard to establish a sound financial position since it was established in April

2009. As you know, we returned a modest surplus in the 2009 / 2010 year. In the difficult

circumstances of last year, when we were in the midst of merger and reorganisation, this was a very

credible performance achieved through the efforts of budget holders and staff.

This year we have to make further savings for the Review of Public Administration (RPA). Budgets for

2010 / 11 have been agreed with managers and they represent a significant challenge to deliver an

efficient, effective service. Every member of staff has a role to play in eliminating wasteful, ineffective

and costly practices and generally trying to minimise costs.

The Senior Management Team (SMT) has established three scrutiny mechanisms to ensure that we

focus on these areas:

• The payroll scrutiny group which reviews all proposed staff recruitment;

• The non pay spend group which reviews requisitions for non stock items;

The contracts scrutiny group which reviews the contracts we have for major spend areas

such as agency, utilities etc. These groups may feel like a “pain” – however they are intended to help us

all recognise the resources we manage and achieve value for money. In this way we demonstrate we

are a cost effective organisation and seek further investment. The following simple rules can help:

• Be sure you need an item before you requisition it;

• Always use the existing contracts for your procurement needs;

• Check if you are getting the best price for any item – if not is there an alternative?;

• Check your invoice to ensure that you have only been charged for the goods / services you

requested – once you authorise it will be paid!; If in doubt consult with procurement or finance staff.

THE “CUTS”

We are all in limbo regarding the cuts. Clearly there will be a reduction in HSC budgets over the next 4

years but the exact amount is not known. The drive for efficiency will continue so we need to prepare to

find additional savings for reinvestment. The Board and SMT are currently examining a process for

Reform and Modernisation which will fund the process for the next 4 years and this will be notified to all

staff.

Financial News

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Interim Director of Finance

Mr. Norman Bennett has been appointed interim BSO Director of Finance. Norman is a

very experienced Director who formally worked at Queens University and was also

employed in the NI Health Service for over 20 years. He took up post on Wednesday, 3

November 2010. Interviews for the appointment of a permanent Director of Finance will

take place in mid December.


Forthcoming Pension Changes Staff should be aware that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has announced a significant change to the way in which tax relief is provided to members of pension schemes in the UK. However HMRC believe the changes will not affect 85% of public service pension scheme members and it is possible that those earning more than 45k may be affected while it is more probable that those earning more than 100k will be affected. Proposed Changes Tax relief is to be limited to a maximum pension savings amount of £50,000 per year, with any excess subject to a tax charge. Although most members are unlikely to be affected, all members should take note of these important changes. The Annual Allowance (AA), which is currently set at £255,000 per year, will be reduced to £50,000 per year from 6 April 2011. The following is a link to detailed information on the HMRC website that explains the calculation of the reduced AA: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pensionschemes/annual-allowance/index.htm HMRC website has a range of Q&A and in reading these you should be aware that the Pensions Scheme is in the defined benefits category of pensions. HSC Pensions is currently assessing the impact of the changes on members and a technical update

is due soon, but early indications are that the changes will primarily affect high earning members, broadly speaking those earning approximately £100,000 per year or more. But, this can vary very widely depending on length of pensionable service and the rate of salary increase in any particular year. Members on lower salaries can be affected if they receive a large increase in pay, although in these cases, assuming it is not a recurring event, up to 3 previous years' unused AA values can be utilised. The NHS Employers website also sets out some advice for those who may be affected.

http://www.nhsemployers.org/PayAndContracts/NHSPensionSchemeReview/Changestopensioncontributiontaxrelief/Pages/Taxreliefforpensions.aspx In addition HMRC has announced that the Lifetime Allowance (LTA) will reduce from £1.8 million to £1.5 million and it is proposed that this further change will take effect from April 2012. The final details of how the LTA change will be implemented are still under consideration. The Government believes that there should be some form of transitional protection in place for those who will have accrued benefits based upon the £1.8 million limit but the detail of this has yet to be decided. Key to these changes are the Pensions savings made each year by pension scheme members and details will be available from the Pensions Team in Waterside House. These savings are normally increased by increments, pay awards and promotional increases. We have asked the Pension scheme if they can provide more detailed guidance on this matter and when it becomes available we will let you know. It has to be stressed that HR and Pensions staff under current legislation are not allowed to give financial advice on Pensions and staff who may be affected should contact their own independent financial adviser.

Hugh McPoland

A Single Unified ICT Infrastructure... One of the efficiencies identified as part of the Review of Public Administration (RPA) was the transfer of ICT staff from legacy organisations to the Business Services Organisation (BSO) Information Technology Services (ITS). ITS is mandated to provide on-going ICT provision and support to the BSO, Health & Social Care Board (HSCB), Public Health Authority and Patient Client Council.

ITS inherited 13 legacy infrastructures, along with their associated desktops and applications, and have been tasked with rationalising and restructuring this infrastructure, addressing any shortcomings with respect to resilience and support, and providing a “fit for purpose” infrastructure to allow customers to perform their own vital functions as efficiently as possible. In order to achieve this goal it is necessary to consolidate services, automate functions and standardise processes as much as is possible within the resources available.

The main focus of the above project is to provide a single unified infrastructure covering network, authentication, email, file and print, and line of business applications.

Phase 1

“Provide immediate support to existing legacy organisations prior to consolidation occurring.”

♦ Initiate Discovery exercise to obtain detailed information on current assets.

♦ Introduce new Service Desk toolset and processes.

♦ Link existing legacy domains.

♦ Provide remote support capabilities.

Phase 2

♦ Design new consolidated infrastructure.

♦ Build test environment to simulate proposed migration.

♦ Migrate customers to new domain and email system.

♦ Decommission legacy infrastructures.

♦ By April 2011 all of the regional organisations supported by BSO ITS will:

- login to a single Active Directory domain

- have a MS Exchange 2010 mailbox with address format of [email protected]

- connect to a shared file and print service

- be remotely supported

- receive regular security and anti-virus updates

- be able to avail of a single Blackberry service

- be able to avail of Sharepoint for team collaboration and project work

Phase 3

♦ Rationalise existing network topology.

♦ Upgrade network switches and circuits (as needed.)

♦ Improve network resilience.

Phase 4

♦ Migrate to a standard desktop platform.

♦ Rationalise and consolidate Line of Business applications.

♦ In parallel with the technical elements above, work was undertaken in conjunction with the HSCB to produce a number of business cases and obtain the substantial funding needed to carry forward this work.

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Progress to date

Phase 1 is complete.

♦ All staff now contact the ITS Service Desk to log Incidents or Requests, either via telephone or directly using the web based Customer Portal.

♦ The legacy login domains have been interconnected to improve interworking across regional locations.

♦ In excess of 1800 client devices have been located and audited.

♦ Software has been installed on client devices to allow ITS to provide: patch upgrades; remote support; remote control; hardware and software inventory; software installation.

Phase 2 is well advanced.

♦ Designs for Microsoft Active Directory, File & Print, Email, Configuration Management and exception based monitoring have been completed and approved.

♦ A test and development environment has been built to simulate both the new and legacy environments, and dry runs of the migration performed to hone the migration process.

Phase 3 has been running in parallel with Phase 2.

♦ Pensions branch and Service Delivery Unit have been switched from the DHSSPS network onto the HSC network. Other units, such as NICAN, CDSC, HISC, and Connecting for Health have also migrated onto the HSC network.

♦ Refurbishment of data and telephony networks in Linenhall St is on-going.

♦ Major single points of failure across the RPA2 infrastructure have been identified and plans are in place to upgrade switches, rationalise circuits and generally improve resilience.

Phase 4 to commence next financial year.

Current Plans

♦ Liaise with organisations’ ICT representatives to agree a migration schedule to the new infrastructure.

♦ Commence migration of login accounts, email, file & print services and applications, starting end of January 2011 and completing by March 2011.

Future Plans

♦ Rationalise and consolidate line of business applications.

♦ Identify and resolve unfriendly network applications such as MS Access.

♦ Deploy standardised desktop using Windows 7 and Office 2010.

Much effort has been expended at the planning and testing stages to ensure that this transition is as seamless and non-disruptive as possible, and the cooperation of everyone to-date, and over the next few months, is greatly appreciated.


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