We write to update colleagues following the issuing of formal correspondence over the last few days.  This email does not relate to those staff based in the IPC’s who will receive a communication separately.

We know this is a really challenging time and people are anxious. The responses many of us have received remind us of the concerns you have and how that’s all wrapped around the care and passion people on site have for their patients, jobs and the wider Whalley family. We get that and this is why we’ve worked hard to offer support, incentives and regular updates. We’ve been doing this since the first meetings about the policy decision which took place in the Whalley boardroom nearly eight years ago.  As we come to the last few months of our time on site, we know it becomes very real.

As per our last communication, formal letters had to be issued over the weekend. We’d flagged this up in advance, with offers of support which continue to be available. What happens next is that we will review the responses. There will be an appeals process and further information regarding these next steps will be distributed in the near future.

We want to assure you that we continue to engage with other NHS partnering organisations to explore opportunities to ring fence any vacancies for our Whalley colleagues – we will keep in contact with you and provide you with a further update on this. We do ask that colleagues refer to the current clearing house bulletin – current posts on Share Point have been extended for applications until 12 January. In addition, new links for around 30 positions will be released to the site this week. We’ve remained consistent on these principles. We are aware that some colleagues have also been applying for vacancies outside of the Share Point vacancy bulletin, please be mindful that any roles outside of this list, will be subject to a competitive process as they are not a ‘ring fenced’ vacancy.  The current posts listed that are applied to via the vacancy bulletin will have a suitability discussion and a 2 week trial period.

We assure you that senior staff will be on site in the days ahead and our doors are open.  We are continuing to brief your union representatives and we will continue these messages regularly so you know what happens next.

We continue to do all that we can to secure suitable alternative employment for those colleagues that will not transfer to Maghull Health Park with us and our collaborative working with neighbouring NHS providers continues in this regard.

Please do not hesitate to contact your manager in the first instance if you have any immediate concerns.

Once again we would like to thank you for your continued commitment to this process and our services. We would again be clear that we would very much look forward to seeing as many of our colleagues transferring to Aspen Wood site as possible.

Thank you,

Steve Newton                       Michele McGee

Operational Director            Associate Director

Secure Care                          Facilities Management