Corporate report

UKHSA Advisory Board: People and Culture Committee minutes

Updated 4 July 2025

Recommendation

The Advisory Board is asked to note the minutes of 5 February 2025 meeting of the People and Culture Committee. The minutes were agreed on 12 May 2025.

Minutes (confirmed), UKHSA People and Culture Committee

Present at the meeting were:

• Sir Gordon Messenger – Non-Executive Member of UKHSA Advisory Board (Chair)
• Cindy Rampersaud – Non-Executive Member of UKHSA Advisory Board
• Mark Lloyd – Non-Executive Member of UKHSA Advisory Board
• Jon Coking - Interim Director of People and Workplace
• Dame Jenny Harries – Chief Executive

In attendance were:

• 8 attendees had their names and titles redacted

Welcome, apologies and declarations of interest

25/001 The Chair welcomed participants to the People and Culture Committee.

25/002 Jon Cocking was welcomed to his first meeting as replacement for the Chief People Officer under the new position as Director of People and Workplace.

Minutes of the previous meeting and matters arising

25/003 The minutes from the previous meeting on 26 November 2024 (enclosure PAAC-25-001) were agreed.

25/004 The action list (enclosure PACC-25-002) was noted. The Committee reinforced interest in capturing a risk overview of specialist skill areas.

People and Workplace Directorate Update

25/005 The Director of People and Workplace presented an update on organisation-wide people-related activities (enclosure PACC-25-003).

25/006 The People and Culture Committee noted the update and welcomed early reflections of the Director.

25/007 Discussion noted the following:

• deeper understanding of tactical, operational and strategic time horizons, alongside different scenarios of the operating model, would support mature workforce planning;
• the restructure aimed to implement a Chief Operating Officer Group as an enabling core of the organisation, underpinned by the right systems;
• the Committee welcomed the reflection on ensuring basics of people activities operated smoothly to enable prioritisation within the people function;
• [Information redacted in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000];
• there was an encouraging attitude to resetting the relationship with trade unions, ensuring focus on the right issues and positive communication.

Civil Service People Survey

25/008 The Head of People Experience & Performance and Head of People Development and Capability presented the latest results of the Civil Service People Survey (enclosure PACC-25-004). Organisational level scores for core themes remained static or experienced slight decline.

25/009 The People and Culture Committee endorsed the ExCo response to the latest People Survey to focus organisation-wide attention and resources on leadership and line management. Upcoming activities included a leadership framework to be built into the performance and development cycles from 2025/26 financial year.

25/010 [Information redacted in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.]

25/011 The Committee emphasised the importance of utilising line managers to embed leadership across the organisation. This included consistent messaging delivered through line managers, testing actions as fit for purpose, clear articulation of organisational objectives, and demonstrating how line mangers and their teams were involved in decision and change processes within UKHSA.

HR Casework and Policies

25/012 [Title redacted] presented the paper summarising plans to address growing volumes of casework and handling timeframes (enclosure PACC-25-005).

25/013 The People and Culture Committee noted the barriers to managing casework volumes and handling times. The variety of terms and conditions in UKHSA, as well as policies, was a factor in complexity of cases.

25/014 The People and Culture Committee endorsed the proposed actions and investment of resource in this area. These included:

• a review of grievance and disciplinary policies to ensure alignment with Government People Group best practice;
• temporary recruitment of trained investigators and caseworkers to address a backlog;
• targeting line manager capability intervention before they could escalate into formal action

25/015 Discussion noted:

• line manager capability and confidence were crucial to ensure effective implementation of policies and long-term reduction in caseloads. This included competency for difficult conversations, challenging unacceptable behaviour and coaching approaches;
• managers should feel empowered to use disciplinary action where appropriate and address issues before they were escalated. Best practice was to focus on resolution of any issues;
• a trial with health protection operations would be rolled out to all groups building confident and empathetic managers who could applied people policies appropriately and consistently;
• appraisal processes needed to consider cultural behaviour, instincts and line management skills alongside professional area competence.

25/016 It was agreed to provide a progress update in approximately 12months time.

Forward look and topics for future meetings

25/017 The People and Culture Committee noted the Forward Look and suggested topics for future discussion (enclosure PACC-25-006). The Committee welcomed splitting insights from the People Survey for further discussion.

25/018 The Director of People and Workplace would review the forward look to ensure alignment of timing and subject matter with plans for the newly formed Directorate. (Action: Jon Cocking)

Any other business and Close

25/019 It was noted that the Chair of the Advisory Board should be kept abreast of relevant people issues to support recruitment of a new Chief Executive. (Action: Jon Cocking / Sir Gordon Messenger)

25/020 There being no further business, the meeting closed at 3:51pm