Health, Safety and Welfare Needs - Insurance, Counselling and Special Training Requirements of HR Outsourcers working in NICS

Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland did not have the information requested.

Dear Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland,

Are HR Outsourcers, working in what have been accepted as the psychiatrically unsafe Note and File conditions particular to NICS, provided with special medical facilities counselling and training?

Are Assessments of the Risks to the psychiatric health of Outsourcer staff properly carried out and can we please have copies and full details.?

What level are Outsourcer stress and Absenteeism statistics currently running at, and are these considered satisfactory, in line with Industry norms?

Good Luck. I wish you well.

Yours faithfully,

AIDAN QUINN

DfE HSENI FOI, Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland

2 Attachments

Dear Mr Quinn,

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

 

Reference: FOI/73/2018

 

I refer to your recent request for information under the above Act.

 

You asked HSENI for:

 

·         Are HR Outsourcers, working in what have been accepted as the
psychiatrically unsafe Note and File conditions particular to NICS,
provided with special medical facilities counselling and training?  

 

·         Are Assessments of the Risks to the psychiatric health of
Outsourcer staff properly carried out and can copies and full details be
provided?

 

·         What level are Outsourcer stress and Absenteeism statistics
currently running at, and are these considered satisfactory, in line with
Industry norms?

 

We are currently working on your request and will be in touch with you
once our response is complete.

 

If you have any queries about this email, please email [1][HSENI request email]
Remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

 

 

Yours faithfully,

 

D Duffy
Information Management Unit

Click link below to find out more about GDPR

[2]http://nics.intranet.nigov.net/staff-ser...

 

 

 

References

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1. mailto:[HSENI request email]
2. http://nics.intranet.nigov.net/staff-ser...

DfE HSENI FOI, Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland

Dear Mr Quinn,

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

 

I refer to your email to the Health and Safety Executive for Northern
Ireland (HSENI) received on 11 May 2018 in which you requested information
under the above act.

 

You asked HSENI the following:

 

1)    are HR outsourcers, working in what have been accepted as the
psychiatrically unsafe ‘note and file’ conditions particular to NICS, 
provided with special medical facilities, counselling and training?  

 

2)    are assessments of the risks to the psychiatric health of outsourced
staff properly carried out and can we please have copies and full details?

 

3)    what level are outsourcer stress and absenteeism statistics
currently running at, and are these considered satisfactory, in line with
industry norms?

 

Following a search of HSENI’s paper and electronic records I can confirm
that HSENI does not hold any information falling within the scope of your
questions outlined above.

 

HSENI is the lead body responsible for the promotion and enforcement of
health and safety at work standards in Northern Ireland however it shares
this responsibility with local councils.  Local councils' enforcement
responsibilities cover office based work activities and therefore would
enforce standards in office based services which are outsourced.  HSENI’s
website outlines more information on HSENI’s and local council’s
enforcement responsibilities, see link below:

 

·         [1]https://www.hseni.gov.uk/content/about-h...

 

If you are dissatisfied with the way in which HSENI has handled your
request, please go to HSENI’s website at the link provided below which
explains the options that are available to you:

 

·        
[2]https://www.hseni.gov.uk/information-acc...

 

 

Yours sincerly,

R Hall
Information Management Unit

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References

Visible links
1. https://www.hseni.gov.uk/content/about-h...
2. https://www.hseni.gov.uk/information-acc...
3. http://www.hseni.gov.uk/
4. https://www.facebook.com/hseni.gov.uk
5. https://twitter.com/Hsenigov

Dear DfE HSENI FOI,

Hey, as follow up, I hope you don’t mind my respectfully mentioning that the UK Health and Safety Executive, using data from the ONS Labour Force Survey has calculated that 595,000 workers suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety in Great Britain in 2017-18, up from 526,000 the previous year.

These are appalling figures and they are maybe only the tip of the iceberg since people traditionally don’t like to complain about bullying or mental health issues, which are thought to carry some kind of social stigma.

Attitudes have to be changed, with Whistleblowers on officially endorsed bullying, say, encouraged not Noted and Filed, not Silenced ,called Vexatious and sacked.

This is a national epidemic, on the scale of antibiotic resistance, maybe deserving of a national campaign. HSE can undoubtedly have a huge role to play, From the financial and investment perspective , this is an insurance nightmare.

Certainly in the case of NICS this a totally unnecessary, totally uninsurable, possibly criminal, totally artificially created epidemic where , we all know, stress creation is quite deliberately , quite cynically , quite knowingly, in an UnEqual and targeted manner and quite officially used as management tool. Especially at Christmas time. And especially on children. Children of OOPs. This is freely admitted and fully, at the highest of levels, defended.

We also, sadly, all know that for too long, maybe 20 years and counting, the myth has from the highest and most Official of levels been peddled that Nothing can be Done about Civil Service Stress. As though it were some kind of natural phenomenon. As though members of minority communities had some kind of intrinsic mental weakness rendering them unfit for positions of Leadership. This is a myth that has to be exposed, shown for what it is.

I wonder then, against this background, if there is perhaps a record of HSE formally taking NICS to task, taking back direction and control of the situation, carefully and politely explaining to TEO, and to DoF, Capita too, their fundamental Duty of Care, their legal position, reminding them of corporate manslaughter legislation, of personal Accountability, politely and courteously reminding them gently but firmly, getting across the message that something can be done about Stress, that something has to be done.

We know that getting this message across is challenging. We know that all attempts at getting across the Child Safety, Stress Reduction message are invariably regarded as Vexatious, so nothing has ever , historically, been done.

Maybe this year, starting with the known effects of stress on the development of Children and starting at Christmas when children attending office parties are known , especially by NICS itself, to be at their most vulnerable , we will have more success

I wondered then as FOI Query if there was perhaps any record of HSE maybe threatening to slap a prohibition notice on planned NICS Office Christmas Sacking Parties until such times as formal written and binding assurance are given that Christmas parties will in future be enjoyable family friendly events ,safe spaces where everybody, OOPs and more privileged staff alike, all mothers and all children whatever their status or background are welcome, free at last from risk or threat of harm, at least at Christmas time ?

If any such Prohibition Notices have already issued, or if any are planned, can we please, as FOI Query, have full details? That would be great, a welcome step in the right direction, a step greatly welcomed by all.

Rest assured, this is FOI Legislation working as it should, working as Parliament intended, keeping all children safe. Equally. Especially at Christmas time when children are known to be at their most trusting and vulnerable.

Good Luck. I wish you well. You know Prohibition Notices on Christmas Sacking Parties are the right thing to do.

Yours sincerely,

AIDAN QUINN

DfE HSENI FOI, Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland

 

Dear Mr Quinn,

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

 

Reference: FOI/191/2018

 

 

I refer to your recent e-mail request for information received in the
Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) on Wednesday 5
December 2018.

 

We are treating this as a new request.

 

We are currently working on your request and will be in touch with you
once our response is complete.

 

If you have any queries about this email, please email [1][HSENI request email]
quoting the reference FOI/191/2018 in any communications. 

 

Yours Sincerely,

 

Laura Donnelly

Information Management Unit

 

 

References

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1. mailto:[HSENI request email]

Dear DfE HSENI FOI,
Hi, many thanks. I know your excellent staff have always done their best and I have every confidence that they will continue to do so.

The thing of course is that the Office Christmas Party Season is almost upon us, and time really is not on our side.

Just do what you can, anything is better than nothing. That’s how I look at things anyway. Don’t worry, nobody will judge.

Traditional "Not an Inch, People are Junk, Children are Management Playthings, Stress is legitimate management tool" attitudes and mindsets have for almost a generation now, 20 years, challenged the best of us.

Just let me have a note of any steps that HSE does feel able to take, let me know how you get on, if you get any assurances? Thank you.

Keep safe yourselves, keep your staff safe too, they’re worth it and enjoy your own Christmas. Be kind to people, especially children. Whatever NICS or NIO may
tell you , there’s nothing wrong with a little benevolence, especially to children and especially at Christmas time.

Good Luck.

Yours sincerely,

AIDAN QUINN

O'Neill, Liam, Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland

 

Dear Sir,

 

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

 

I refer to your recent request for information under the above Act.

 

You asked us if ‘there was perhaps any record of HSE maybe threatening to
slap a prohibition notice on planned NICS Office Christmas Sacking
Parties’?

 

Following a search of our paper and electronic records I can advise you that we
do not hold the information requested. HSENI publishes a searchable register of
Prosecutions and Enforcement Notices (including Prohibition Notices) at
[1]https://www.secure.hseni.gov.uk/register...

If you have any queries about this email, please contact me. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

 

I hope you find this information useful, but if you are dissatisfied with
the way in which HSENI has handled your request, please go to
[2]https://www.hseni.gov.uk/information-acc... which explains
the actions that are available to you.

 

Yours Sincerely

Liam O'Neill
Information Manager
Tel: 028 9054 7088 (ext: 47088)
[mobile number]

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References

Visible links
1. https://www.secure.hseni.gov.uk/register...
2. https://www.hseni.gov.uk/information-acc...
3. http://www.hseni.gov.uk/
4. https://www.facebook.com/hseni.gov.uk
5. https://twitter.com/Hsenigov

Dear O'Neill, Liam,
Thanks hugely for the rapid response, letting us all know the current position.
I am sure HSE will keep the situation under review and do please keep us all in the picture as matters develop. Maybe getting the local press involved?
There’s probably, with luck, a week yet until matters come to a head this year and maybe something will turn up.
At least parents will be on their guard, mobilised, facebook warned maybe , mothers en masse ready to politely see offenders off the premises, prevent attack on the innocence of their chidren , the way mothers, the core of society, getting together, everywhere have always done since time immemorial.

Good Luck and enjoy your own Christmas.

Yours sincerely,

AIDAN QUINN