Complex (level 4) means complicated and made up of several components which have to be analysed and assessed and which may contain conflicting information or indicators e.g. assessment of specialist clinical conditions, analysis of complex financial trends, investigating and assessing serious disciplinary cases. Physical skills normally obtained through practice (level 2) includes skills which jobholders develop in post or through previous relevant experience, such as use of cleaning, catering or similar equipment. It also includes manoeuvring wheel chairs/trolleys in confined spaces, using hoists or other lifting equipment to move patients/clients, intra-muscular immunisations/injections and use of sensory skills. Advanced or high-speed driving (level 3a) includes driving a heavy goods vehicle, ambulance, minibus or articulated lorry where a Large Goods Vehicle, Passenger Carrying Vehicle or Ambulance Driving Test or equivalent is required.

Qualifications can provide a useful indicator of the level of knowledge required. Training towards qualifications is also one means of acquiring the knowledge required for a job (other means include on-the-job training, short courses and experience). Indicative qualifications are given in the guidance notes. This does not mean that there is a requirement to hold any particular qualification for a job to be scored at the level in question, but that the knowledge required must be of an equivalent level to the stipulated qualification. Organise the logistics. It is important not to underestimate the resources required for the introduction of a common job structure for the merged/reconfigured organisation eg project management, timescales. This step should include a review of relevant HR IT systems to ascertain what data they can provide and to ensure they are compatible. Organisations need to consider whether to replace vacant posts with a similar post or to evaluate the needs of the service and create a new role in line with service improvement. An employment judge in the Hartley v Northumbria Healthcare tribunal (2008-9) found that the national aspects of the scheme, including design, profile writing, job evaluation processes and training courses were in line with equal pay requirements, but issued a warning that the processes and procedures needed to be implemented properly at local level to avoid equal pay claims being brought against the employer.Planning and organisation of a broad range of complex activities or programmes, some of which are ongoing, which require the formulation and adjustment of plans or strategies.

If your current practices, in partnership do not comply with this advice, JEG recommends that you revisit matching outcomes to ensure they are robust. Understanding of a range of work procedures and practices, the majority of which are non-routine, which require intermediate level theoretical knowledge. This knowledge is normally acquired through formal training or equivalent experience. Organisations need to ensure that staff are trained in the matching, analysis and evaluation processes of the NHS JE Scheme for continuity in the future. It is essential for organisations to keep a register of names of practitioners and trainers.The post requires physical skills which are normally obtained through practice over a period of time or during practical training e.g. standard driving or keyboard skills, use of some tools and types of equipment. The additional specialist knowledge required could consist in part of managerial knowledge, where this is genuinely needed for the job and there is a requirement to attend management courses or have equivalent managerial experience.

On the other hand, if a job does genuinely require the knowledge acquired through a specified formal qualification, then this should be taken into account when assessing the job. This procedure should be used where a new role to the service has been created and there is no post holder in post.In some cases, this will be the level required at entry and set out in the person specification, for example: a) Providing and receiving routine information which requires tact or persuasive skills or where there are barriers to understanding, or Such guidance is intended to assist local matching and evaluation panels by providing a straightforward read-across between the qualifications and/or experience requirements, which may be included in personal specifications or other job documents, and the AfC scheme factor levels.

Designing a new job structure is a major exercise which will need direction from senior managers. It should involve managers at all levels and be done in consultation with the relevant trade unions and professional organisations. Some job descriptions may not be clear on the level of knowledge, training and experience required, but it is the panel’s duty to find out by asking further questions. work rated as equivalent under a job evaluation scheme’ (only ancillary workers in the health service were covered by job evaluation) it had little impact elsewhere in the health service.

Conclusion

One of the aims of AFC is to allow NHS organisations to operate more flexibly by developing roles in partnership. Detailed procedures need to be agreed locally. Equivalent experience (Levels 3 and 4) refers to experience which enables the jobholder to gain an equivalent level of knowledge. Both levels 3 and 4 apply to jobs requiring understanding of a range of work procedures and practices. The differences are: Planning and organisation of a number of complex activities (level 3) includes complex staff or work planning, where there is a need to allocate and re-allocate tasks, situations or staff on a daily basis to meet organisational requirements. It also includes the skills required for co-coordinating activities with other professionals and agencies, for example where the jobholder is the main person organising case conferences or discharge planning where a substantial amount of detailed planning is required. These typically involve a wide range of other professionals or agencies. The jobholder must be in a position to initiate the plan or coordinate the area of activity. Participating in such activities does not require planning and organisational skills at this level. Pre October 2004, in line with industrial relations practice in the public sector in the immediate post-war period, there was an over-arching joint negotiating body for the sector, the General Whitley Council, and more than 20 individual joint committees and sub¬committees for the different occupational groups, each with responsibility for its own grading and pay structures, and terms and conditions of employment.