What is the National Bipartite Group?
The National Bipartite Group (NBAG) brings DHBs and health unions together in an information sharing forum, allowing external parties such as Health Workforce NZ, the Ministry and more to meet with us as a sector. We also work on nationally consistent guidelines for the sector and discuss issues of mutual concern. The NBAG is the only truly bipartite engagement group we have in health, where APEX is represented by our National Secretary, Dr Deborah Powell, and Senior Advocate, David Munro. Senior officials of the other key health unions also attend as well as a CEO, COO, CMO, DAH, CNO and GMsHR representing the DHB management system.
All of the agreed guidelines are as follows:
- NBAG Terms of Reference
- 32 Steps-Change Management Process
- Smoke-Free Guidelines
- Social Media Advice
- Adverse Weather
- Vaccination Guidelines
- Passing on
- Protecting Staff from Violence
- Redundancy Compensation-Re-employment
- Violence Policy Checklist
- Digital Communications Platform
- Bipartite Relationship Framework
- Facilitation Of Stopwork Meetings
We are currently working on the following national guidelines:
- Digital Communications Platform ensuring employees rights to access the internet. This policy has been agreed but we are having difficulty getting compliance, especially with Auckland DHB!
- Violence towards staff by patients, whanau and visitors
- Bullying and harassment
- Domestic Violence Leave: providing for leave from day 1 of employment (not having to wait 6 months as the legislation provides), allowing employees more say over who “knows” about their situation and providing specific support for those affected.
- Encouraging the DHBs to take on apprentices from the Trades groups.
- And most recently developing a joint training programme to ensure all participants understand the life preserving services process.