CEO Update Monday 20 July 2015
Children’s worker safety checking has started All new Canterbury DHB staff who work with children in a role described as a core children’s worker are now subject to safety checks including a police vet before being offered a position. This additional checking started from 1 July 2015 and is a legal requirement under the Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014. The aim of the Vulnerable Children’s Act is to protect vulnerable children and help them thrive, achieve and belong. Having a safe and competent children’s workforce is key to achieving this. A core worker is described as someone who works in or provides a service when they are the only children’s worker present or they have primary responsibility for a child. The other group which requires safety checking are non-core children’s workers. This group includes staff who have regular or overnight contact with a child that takes place without the parent or guardian being present. Mandatory police vetting for non-core children’s workers starts on 1 July 2016. The Act also requires that all existing Canterbury DHB staff who are children’s workers are retrospectively safety checked between 1 July 2016 and 1 July 2019. If you’ve been here for a while you may have had a Ministry of Justice check when you first started, but the Safety Checking process requires a Police Vet which discloses a lot more information than the Ministry of Justice check as it voids the ‘Clean Slate’ Act. A Police Vet may disclose any concerns the Police have in any context, even if there have not been charges laid, or charges have been withdrawn, or if a person has been found not guilty of a charge, as well as convictions which would not have appeared on the Ministry of Justice check due to the Clean Slate Act provisions.
If something comes up when you are checked, a risk assessment will be carried out and your manager will be involved. This is an early ‘heads up’ to all staff to let you know that this will be happening from 1 July next year. If there’s anything you are concerned about in relation to the screening or what it may reveal, talk to your manager. You will be asked to give consent before a police vetting check is carried out, but compliance will be required. Police vetting needs to be repeated every three years for both core and non-core children’s workers. It also applies to staff working in services provided through general practice teams, maternity services, in home disability services and ambulance services – in fact any publicly-funded health service has to comply with the legislation. There is a significant amount of information on safety checking and the Children’s Action Plan online. If you’re recruiting and have further questions contact Mary Ann Farr or Sarah Carnoutsos. Canterbury DHB has provided a simple guide to explain how the Vulnerable Children’s Act affects recruitment. It’s available on the intranet.
David Meates
CEO Canterbury District Health Board
Record-breaking concrete pours at the Acute Services building, Christchurch Hospital Contractors on site at Christchurch Hospital are getting the ground of the new Acute Services Building ready for the first of eight foundation pours.
During the pour, which starts just after 1am on Saturday 25 July, 1200 m3 of concrete will be laid to a depth of one metre: enough to fill around 7500 standard bathtubs. ›› Article continues on page 2
In this issue »» Free GP visit for people enrolling for the first time...page 2. »» Facility Fast Facts...page 4&5. »» Donation to Child Health...page 5.
»» Working at Christchurch Hospital a ‘privilege and pleasure...Les Snape retiring...page 6. »» Canterbury Medical Grand Round... page 7.
»» All Blacks visit to Burwood Spinal Unit... page 8. »» Still time for staff to immunise their selfies...page 10.
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