Recruitment & Selection

Hayfield Support Services will ensure that the recruitment of suitably qualified staff will be made from the widest field and will be in accordance with relevant Codes of Practice relating to employment.  Hayfield is committed to each appointment being based on the merit principle.

All advertised positions in Hayfield will be subject to “Enhanced Disclosure” in terms of the Regulation of Care [Scotland] Act 2001.  Existing staff will be required to undertake the Enhanced Disclosure process as legislation dictates.

All recruitment, induction, training and promotion practices will be continually reviewed in order to ensure:

• Recruitment & Selection is based on positive attitude and ability to do the job.

• Objective and systematic adherence to procedures.

• Records relating to recruitment will be retained for all short listed candidates for a period of 1 year to provide evidence that recruitment panels have objectively proven justification for appointment.  All other documentation relating to candidates not short listed for posts will be retained for a period of 6 months.

• Hayfield’s existing staff are notified of all vacancies and that applications received from staff will be treated on the basis of full equality with external applications.

A written job description and personnel specification will be prepared for each post prior to advertisement.  Included in the recruitment pack will be a Health Questionnaire for completion by each applicant.  For new posts, the responsibility for the production of similar documentation lies with either the Day Care Manager or Residential Manager in the first instance.  Where review of an existing job description is proposed, consultation and approval from the Director must take place prior to any change being implemented.

Job descriptions will be written in a clear, jargon-free manner.  They will give the job title, immediate line or responsibility, purpose of the post and full details of duties and responsibilities.

Personnel specifications will contain criteria which are strictly relevant to the requirements of the job and not unnecessarily restrictive, which may exclude particular individuals.

All requirements will be clearly justifiable in terms of the principal functions of the post.

Canvassing in any form by, or on behalf of, any candidates within Hayfield shall disqualify that candidate from further consideration of the vacant post, or result in dismissal if appointed.  Canvassing undertaken by Hayfield staff will be deemed as Misconduct and shall be dealt with under Hayfield’s Disciplinary Procedure.

In the case of staff absence for medical or maternity leave for a period of up to 12 months, Hayfield may use the local Job Centre or the services of an Employment Agency to temporarily fill the post.  If the absence is likely to be beyond 12 months, then Hayfield may [resources permitting] publicly advertise the post and follow the normal recruitment procedure for Fixed Term Contracts of Employment.

In the case of Student Placements, the appropriate Line Manager must demonstrate that they can properly support and accommodate the individual on placement at Hayfield.