Trust director is runner up in HR Director of the Year Awards
The director of human resources and workforce development at South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded runner up in the national Healthcare People Management Association (HPMA) HR director of the year award. 160 people were nominated for the award.
Alan Davis, from Sandal in Wakefield, has worked in mental health and learning disability services since 2002, having previously worked as Director of HR and Facilities at Wakefield & Pontefract Community Health NHS Trust. Alan has 25 years experience of HR in the NHS as well as 15 years experience at director level.
Alan was jointly nominated by the Trust’s Staff Side (joint trade union committee), and the organisation’s chief executive, Steven Michael, in recognition of his longstanding commitment to social partnership working, particularly with Staff Side itself.
Trust chief executive Steven Michael said, "The relationship between management and staff side is, quite rightly, a challenging one. Both sides approach all discussions from a standpoint of mutual respect and a shared commitment to finding solutions. This culture has not been achieved overnight and Alan has been instrumental in supporting and sustaining this way of working.’
He continued, "Alan invests a lot of energy in communicating with staff and ensuring that the Trust offers a range of good employment practices that support the Trust in being an ’employee of choice’ for health care staff. He thoroughly deserves this recognition, and it is a real tribute to be runner up out of so many nominations.
Alan said, "Myself and the other directors at the Trust really respect and value the role of Staff Side and have always been committed to engaging with them and with staff directly on any organisational decisions. I was really pleased to be nominated for this award by Staff Side and thrilled to get down to the final three. "
Aside from partnership working Alan is involved in a wide range of initiatives such as establishing a local Occupational Health Service that focuses on the particular issues of mental health staff and promoting diversity through training schemes to encourage under-represented groups to work with the local NHS.