Expression of Interest - HR Investigators

Solent NHS Trust are currently exploring the local market for organisations who undertake employee relations investigations and we have identified your organisation as a potential supplier.

In order to provide further context to our organisational needs, investigations for potential misconduct, grievances, and/or performance concerns are overseen by our HR Consultants. Presently, investigations are undertaken internally by managers, the appointment of whom is dependent on the specific nature of the investigation and the respective managers availability. This has and continues to present challenges specifically around the consistency and quality of investigations and to the length of time investigations take to conclude. Furthermore, recent NHS guidance and recommendations regarding improving people practices rightly emphasise a greater consideration to a people centred approach and to the health and wellbeing of all employees affected in formal matters coupled with a need for complete independence and objectivity throughout the investigation and potential disciplinary procedure. This in turn will now provide greater assurance to our Board that matters are being conducted in accordance with best practice.

We are therefore assessing the market to understand how external investigators may be able to support us over the next 12-18 months in improving the quality of investigations , reducing the time investigations take and ensuring that we adhere to the new recommendations outlined by Baroness Dido Harding. If you are well versed and skilled in this area of Employee relations work, we would invite you to respond to the questions set out below that will assist us in shortlisting those that we feel are attuned to our requirements. We will then be inviting selected organisations to meet with us on Monday 12th August (time to be confirmed).

We are seeking information from your organisation on the questions below by Monday 5th August 2019:-

- Please detail any experience that you have of working to NHS and/or Local Authority policies and practices to support awareness of the governance around NHS practices. - Please provide a brief overview of your experience in managing complex investigations - Please provide detail of your approach to interviewing witnesses and how you consider the health and wellbeing of those involved in investigations - Please explain how you capture a reflection of the meetings you undertake - Please explain how you manage investigations so as to evidence that they are robust and 'ET ready' - Please explain how you measure your success