Yes, the product is built on an interoperable and advanced technology platform, featuring open APIs and an enhanced Data Model 4.

The solution is available on the Countess of Chester Commercial Procurement Services Framework, and Health Systems Support Framework. We can also participate in any locally run tender processes.

The NHS at Work solution is intuitive, functional, and fit for purpose. It’s built on advanced technology, developed to be truly interoperable – an essential function for digital transformation – and delivers an exceptional mobile app-enabled user experience. It is based on NHSE/I specifications, and crucially, is priced affordably for the NHS.

It is an alternative to existing solutions on the market and we would be happy to discuss the differences with you.

Organisational readiness is key for moving from one system to another. Liaison Workforce has extensive implementation and OR experience and can support trusts to take the best approaches in these time-consuming processes.

NHSE/I recommend that trusts have a rostering solution, they do not mandate a particular supplier.

For Doctors in Training, TOIL hours are added as part of the exception reporting process which is part of the demand and capacity planning features.

The solution has been designed to show that TOIL is being taken and the amount of TOIL, but not if the TOIL is at the start or end of the shift to allow flexibility for TOIL to be taken mid-shift – e.g., a long lunch break. A note can be added to the shift to detail how the TOIL is expected to be used.

Yes, the system generates a monthly ESR absence export, which can be uploaded to ESR.

For Doctors in Training, the payroll information is calculated through the rota pattern and additional payments are made for bank shifts or paid TOIL. These are handled outside of the roster system. For Agenda for Change, the solution will generate payroll data and is interoperable with ESR.

Additional shifts can be created by any user with that level of permission – these shifts are then outsourced to the bank for Doctors in Training to pick up and be paid appropriately. In Agenda for Change, the additional shifts will reflect in the payroll export.

For Doctors in Training, the staff data does not come only from ESR, it also comes from the deaneries in a TUS file. As such, we have developed a customer import to ensure that all information can be captured in the solution. For Agenda for Change, the staff data will be imported from ESR.

Yes, the ESR absence file and payroll files for Agenda for Change would be available for the payroll provider of choice.

The Doctors in Training solution has an outbound interface with ESR for unavailability data. The Agenda for Change solution will add an inbound interface for staff data.

We are currently working on Consultant rostering and will be able to update shortly on timescales.

This is expected in July 2022.

Yes, in line with Agenda for Change, which is expected to be July 2022.

This is expected to be July 2022.

Yes, non-medical job planning will be available – the delivery date for this is expected to be Q3 2022.

We used a variety of different techniques for eliciting all the requested requirements. We started with the NHSE/I specification as our base and used workshops and interviews across various staff groups. We also employed use-case diagrams to identify different user groups, and storyboards to identify their likely needs.

Yes, bank staff come directly from Data Model 4 or from the Liaison Workforce system, which allows use of the rosters.

We are currently investigating the primary care requirements for rostering to ensure ICS and PCNs can roster and schedule appropriately.

Yes, this functionality is currently in development and is due to be deployed in December 2021.

In the December 2021 release of NHS at Work, all exception reporting will be conducted within the solution, including the approval and payment/TOIL.

You can make any amends you would like to the roster. If anyone makes changes outside of the usual pattern (e.g., changing the length of shifts) that will all be reported back through an additional shift report.

No, it does not swap any days surrounding the swapped shift, however, it does a compliance check on all other shifts on the doctor’s roster to ensure the swap does not contravene the junior doctor contract or Working Time Directive regulations.

Yes, WTD rules are built into the warnings.

Yes, the rosters will have this functionality, through our demand and capacity planning module which will contain dynamic budget information.

No, the rotations are on the import file. They will be set automatically and at no point will they need to be done manually.

Yes, where a temporary worker, Bank or Agency, has a substantive role at the trust when they are confirmed onto a shift through our TempRE system, that shift is checked against their full-time roster to ensure there are no double bookings and also to ensure the bank shift will not mean the doctor’s shifts breach the junior doctor contract or WTD.

All rota patterns and staff data from another rostering solution can be moved over. We recommend moving over during a rotation to minimise the need to look back over old rosters once you have transitioned to this solution.

Yes, they are shown as leave with an egg timer icon to indicate they are in progress and still need to be approved or declined. Only those with permission to approve leave will see the pending leaves on the roster.

This is not available currently, but skills and competency-based rostering will be available as part of our Agenda for Change release in July 2022.

We are aware of this process and have plans to bring it into the platform.

Skills and competency-based rostering will be brought in as part of our Agenda for Change rostering delivery.

Yes, ward and speciality are allocated at a staff member level rather than at a roster level, so you can have multiple specialities and wards on the same roster.

Staff training is recommended to ensure smooth implementation but is not essential as the system is designed to be intuitive to use. Training for roster managers is not challenging and takes around 3 hours.

Yes, the solution allows you to define the amount of leave used in each rotation.

Yes, the solution keeps a record of the total amount of leave for the year. Every time leave is taken, it removes the time from that balance and has a full audit.

Managers are notified by email when they have a request to authorise – a link in that email takes them to the solution to see the full detail of the request, and to authorise or decline.

Yes, at the point that someone is confirmed on a shift, whether that be bank or agency, that person is immediately available to view on the roster. Where it is a bank shift, that bank shift will slot into that person’s roster, so will be available for everyone to see.

Skills and competency-based rostering will be introduced to the solution as part of our Agenda for Change release.

In December 2021, the rota building functionality will be added, so the patterns will be built in the same solution as the roster is managed.

When we introduce the rota building functionality into the solution later this year, a Trust will be able to record the demand as well as capacity alongside the pattern. This will be displayed during roster management and be able to be reported against.

This is a possibility. It has not yet been requested from a trust but when it is, it will be included for consideration in the development roadmap.

The initial delivery for the Agenda for Change rostering solution will focus on skills and competency-based rostering with acuity coming as a phase 2 deliverable – we are currently investigating sources of acuity data from existing reporting structures.

The system allows you to select any unfilled shifts and send them to be filled using your normal bank system. The system comes fully integrated to Liaison Workforce’s TempRE solution and is also Data Model 4 compliant to work with other market solutions.