Information on SMO placement on Salary scale
Simon Dalton made this Official Information request to Health New Zealand
This request has an unknown status. We're waiting for Simon Dalton to read recent responses and update the status.
      From: Simon Dalton
      
    
    Dear Health New Zealand,
Part A
Please provide copies of all communication (email etc) regarding starting or initial salary step placement for Senior Medical Officers (SMO's). For context the current Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) SECA with Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) states: “The date an employee met the requirements for vocational registration (or its overseas equivalent) will be used to assess when an employee would have been first placed on the specialist scale (not the date when the employee was vocationally registered).” This clause was added to the most recent ASMS SECA.
All emails regarding the decision to include this in the SECA (either prior to or after inclusion up until date of this FOI request) from Te Whatu Ora senior staff (including but not limited to individuals such as Margie Apa, Andrew Slater etc) to and from ASMS or other agencies or internally amongst Te Whatu Ora staff are to be included. Emails that might discuss salary step placement issues for existing SMO staff should also be included.
Further any policy document or guidelines relating to this subject or to the placement of new or existing employees on the ASMS SECA salary steps should be included.
Part B
In how many cases in the last 10 years have SMO's been found to have been placed incorrectly on the salary scale and subsequently had this amended?
Yours faithfully,
Simon Dalton
        From: hnzOIA
      
    
    Tēnā koe, 
 
Thank you for contacting Health NZ, Te Whatu Ora. This is an automatic
 reply to confirm that we have received your email.  Depending on the
 nature of your request you may not receive a response for up to 20 working
 days.  We will try to respond to your query as quickly as possible.
 
 
Ngā mihi
 
Health NZ, Te Whatu Ora.
Statement of confidentiality: This email message and any accompanying
 attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
 legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use,
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 received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and
 delete this message
        From: hnzOIA
      
    
    Kia ora Simon,
Thank you for your request for official information, received for:
      
 "Part A
 Please provide copies of all communication (email etc) regarding starting
 or initial salary step placement for Senior Medical Officers (SMO's). For
 context the current Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS)
 SECA with Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) states: “The date an employee met the
 requirements for vocational registration (or its overseas equivalent) will
 be used to assess when an employee would have been first placed on the
 specialist scale (not the date when the employee was vocationally
 registered).” This clause was added to the most recent ASMS SECA.
 All emails regarding the decision to include this in the SECA (either
 prior to or after inclusion up until date of this FOI request) from Te
 Whatu Ora senior staff (including but not limited to individuals such as
 Margie Apa, Andrew Slater etc) to and from ASMS or other agencies or
 internally amongst Te Whatu Ora staff are to be included. Emails that
 might discuss salary step placement issues for existing SMO staff should
 also be included.
 Further any policy document or guidelines relating to this subject or to
 the placement of new or existing employees on the ASMS SECA salary steps
 should be included. 
 Part B
 In how many cases in the last 10 years have SMO's been found to have been
 placed incorrectly on the salary scale and subsequently had this amended?"
 In order to provide you with the information requested, could you please
 refine "Part A" of your request in order for us to collate the information
 in a manner that is feasible retrievable. The volume of material in scope
 is too wide that it would be a too onerous task for staff to action
 without focusing on the refined scope.
Please note, under section 15 of the Official Information Act 1982, any
 clarification or amendments made to a request within seven days after the
 date it is received, that request may be treated as a new request and the
 time limit for the response restarts. 
We look forward to receiving your response.
  
 Ngā mihi nui
 Shane Sharma (he/him)
 Advisor, Ministerial Services
 Office of the Chief Executive
 Spark Central, 44-48 Willis Street, Wellington| PO Box 5013, Wellington
 6140
 Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora
 [1]www.TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
  
 Statement of confidentiality: This email message and any accompanying
 attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
 legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use,
 disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachments. If you have
 received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and
 delete this message
References
Visible links
 1. http://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/
      From: Simon Dalton
      
    
    Dear hnzOIA,
Thank you Shane. I submit a modified Part A. I hope it is suitable, kindly contact me if it is not.
Part A
For context the current Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) SECA with Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) states: “The date an employee met the requirements for vocational registration (or its overseas equivalent) will be used to assess when an employee would have been first placed on the specialist scale (not the date when the employee was vocationally registered).” This clause was added to the most recent ASMS SECA.
Please provide copies of all communication (email or formal letter) within the last 2 years regarding the starting or initial salary step placement for Senior Medical Officers (SMO's) from Te Whatu Ora senior staff (eg Margie Apa and Andrew Slater) to and from ASMS (email domain "asms.org.nz" will allow easier searching). Emails that discuss salary step placement issues for existing SMO staff should also be included.
Essentially a keyword search "salary scale" or "salary step" where the sender or receiver is "asms.org.nz" should make this quick and simple.
Any internal policy document or guidelines that relate to this subject ie to the placement of new or existing SMO's on the ASMS SECA salary steps should be included.
Yours sincerely,
Simon Dalton
        From: hnzOIA
      
    
    Tēnā koe Simon,
Thank you for your email asking for the following information under the
 Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
"Part A
 Please provide copies of all communication (email etc) regarding starting
 or initial salary step placement for Senior Medical Officers (SMO's). For
 context the current Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS)
 SECA with Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) states: “The date an employee met the
 requirements for vocational registration (or its overseas equivalent) will
 be used to assess when an employee would have been first placed on the
 specialist scale (not the date when the employee was vocationally
 registered).” This clause was added to the most recent ASMS SECA.
 All emails regarding the decision to include this in the SECA (either
 prior to or after inclusion up until date of this FOI request) from Te
 Whatu Ora senior staff (including but not limited to individuals such as
 Margie Apa, Andrew Slater etc) to and from ASMS or other agencies or
 internally amongst Te Whatu Ora staff are to be included. Emails that
 might discuss salary step placement issues for existing SMO staff should
 also be included.
 Further any policy document or guidelines relating to this subject or to
 the placement of new or existing employees on the ASMS SECA salary steps
 should be included. 
 Part B
 In how many cases in the last 10 years have SMO's been found to have been
 placed incorrectly on the salary scale and subsequently had this amended?"
 This email is to let you know that Health NZ needs more time to make a
 decision on your request.
The Act requires that we advise you of our decision on your request no
 later than 20 working days after the day we received your request.
 Unfortunately, it will not be possible to meet that time limit and we are
 therefore writing to notify you of an extension of the time to make our
 decision, to 8 July 2024.
This extension is required as the request is for a large quantity of
 information and meeting the original time limit would unreasonably
 interfere with our functions, and because the consultations necessary to
 make a decision on your request are such that a proper response cannot
 reasonably be made within the original time limit.
If you have any questions, please contact us
 at [1][email address]
If you are not happy with this extension, you have the right to make a
 complaint to the Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available
 at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi nui
 Shane Sharma (he/him)
 Advisor, Ministerial Services
 Office of the Chief Executive
 Spark Central, 44-48 Willis Street, Wellington| PO Box 5013, Wellington
 6140
 Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora
 [2]www.TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
  
 Statement of confidentiality: This email message and any accompanying
 attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
 legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use,
 disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachments. If you have
 received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and
 delete this message
References
Visible links
 1. mailto:[Health New Zealand request email]
 2. http://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/
        From: hnzOIA
      
    
    Kia ora Simon,
  
 Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
 Act) for:
  
 Part A
 Please provide copies of all communication (email etc) regarding starting
 or initial salary step placement for Senior Medical Officers (SMO's). For
 context the current Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS)
 SECA with Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) states: “The date an employee met the
 requirements for vocational registration (or its overseas equivalent) will
 be used to assess when an employee would have been first placed on the
 specialist scale (not the date when the employee was vocationally
 registered).” This clause was added to the most recent ASMS SECA.
 All emails regarding the decision to include this in the SECA (either
 prior to or after inclusion up until date of this FOI request) from Te
 Whatu Ora senior staff (including but not limited to individuals such as
 Margie Apa, Andrew Slater etc) to and from ASMS or other agencies or
 internally amongst Te Whatu Ora staff are to be included. Emails that
 might discuss salary step placement issues for existing SMO staff should
 also be included.
 Further any policy document or guidelines relating to this subject or to
 the placement of new or existing employees on the ASMS SECA salary steps
 should be included. 
 Part B
 In how many cases in the last 10 years have SMO's been found to have been
 placed incorrectly on the salary scale and subsequently had this amended?
  
 Pursuant to section 15(1)(a) of the Act, Health New Zealand is writing to
 advise you that a decision has been made on your request; however, it will
 take us some time to prepare the information for release.
  
 We apologise for the delay, and endeavor to send you the information by 22
 July 2024. 
  
 Under section 28(3) of the Act you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to
 review any decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be
 contacted by email at: [1][email address] or by calling 0800
 802 602.
  
 Ngâ mihi nui
 Shane Sharma (he/him)
 Advisor, Government Services
Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora
 [2]www.TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
  
 Statement of confidentiality: This email message and any accompanying
 attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
 legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use,
 disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachments. If you have
 received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and
 delete this message
References
Visible links
 1. mailto:[email address]
	mailto:[email address]
 2. http://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/
        From: hnzOIA
      
    
    Kia ora Simon,
  
 Thank you for your request for information, I apologise for the delay
 in providing our response. Please find attached our response to your
 request.
  
 If you have any questions, please get in touch at
 [1][email address].
  
 If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a
 complaint to the Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available
 at [2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
  
 Ngâ mihi nui
 Shane Sharma (he/him)
 Advisor, Ministerial Services
 Office of the Chief Executive
 Spark Central, 44-48 Willis Street, Wellington| PO Box 5013, Wellington
 6140
 Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora
 [3]www.TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
  
 Statement of confidentiality: This email message and any accompanying
 attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
 legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use,
 disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachments. If you have
 received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and
 delete this message
References
Visible links
 1. mailto:[Health New Zealand request email]
 2. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
 3. http://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/
Things to do with this request
- Add an annotation (to help the requester or others)
 - Download a zip file of all correspondence (note: this contains the same information already available above).
 

