News Flash

Senior PSA Industrial Officer Ian Peak met with Marj Ellis, Director, Northern Directorate, Natalie Hamood, Director Human Resources and Cara Kilsby, Senior HR Consultant, on Friday 28 May 2010, to be informed about the “Families SA HR Project”. Shortly after the meeting, David Waterford, Executive Director, distributed a communication to Families SA staff about this project.

This communication stated in part the following;

“The Labour shortages affecting all organisations continue to impact on our capacity to recruit suitably experienced and qualified workers for some of our key roles.”

“Often applicants present with a range of qualifications and extensive experience that are relevant to our work. We are seeking to explore opportunities for the integration of relevant qualifications for some of our roles in Families SA to boost our recruitment potential.”

“This project will analyse and collect information regarding our Case management and Case Worker roles and provide recommendations to Families SA Executives.”

The PSA believe it is essential for the social work profession that their qualifications are not diluted and Social Workers maintain their capacity for registration with their professional body.

PSA has been advised that during this project there will be regular consultative meetings with PSA Representatives and PSA Industrial staff.

At the meeting of 28 May 2010, PSA expressed initial concerns about this project.

The PSA will want to explore other ways to ensure that Families SA can have sufficient, appropriately qualified staff, in all areas of need.

Salaries, classification levels, progressions, allowances and professional development leave all need to be discussed to see how these can be improved to increase retention and recruitment.

The PSA was able to negotiate the new Allied Health Professional Stream, within the 2010 Enterprise Agreement because of the challenges to Government to be able to recruit and retain many Professional disciplines.

The Department of Health saw the need for Professionals employed in health to have higher salaries, professional development leave and career progression.

The PSA also insisted that the gains for these Professionals apply to all Professionals in these categories, employed within Government.

Thus Social workers, employed as such within Families SA, come within Allied Health Professional Stream for the life of the Enterprise Agreement.

This allowed for all Professional Officers Level 1 (PO1), at top increment (level 6 & 7) to progress to AHP2, 1st increment on 14 January 2010 and future progression for them, and for AHP1, when they reached top increment, to be by a Peer Assessment Panel.

Currently other Professional groups, not referred to in Appendix 1, page 76 of the 2010 Enterprise Agreement would be unlikely to be classified as Allied Health Professionals.

This will present problems as how to classify persons who Families SA deem to have appropriate qualifications, but do not fit into the AHP category. This may also have implications for all professionally qualified staff covered by future Enterprise Agreements.

With any proposals, there may be advantages for some members but disadvantages for others. Members will need to look at both the long term and short term implications.

At this time State and Federal Governments are assessing and increasing the qualifications and training needs of staff in the Health areas. There is proposed national registration for most professionals in the AHP Stream.

It is essential for PSA members in Families SA and for a high level of service delivery to clients that professional standards are not just maintained but consistently increased in all areas.

The PSA will be consulting with Families SA and seeking feedback from members during this project.

1 June 2010