Public Sector Future Workforce Forum meeting: 2 June 2026

1. The Chair welcomed members to the third meeting of the Public Sector Future Workforce Forum (PSFWF) noting apologies and deputies. Alyson Watkins was introduced as the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) replacement for Karen Higgins.

2. The Chair confirmed the first meeting of the Violence and Harassment in the Workplace task and finish group took place on the 12 May and provided an overview of discussions. These covered the growing problem of violence and harassment against frontline staff, the importance of understanding existing data on this subject and exploring potential areas of focus at an in-person workshop scheduled for the 15 June at the WLGA. Underreporting had already been identified as an important area of focus.

3. The following captures key points raised by members following the update.

• The pace of progress was welcomed but the importance of ensuring the forum’s work was effectively promoted and implemented across all sectors was highlighted.
• Avoiding duplication with existing work and the activities of other forums was stressed.
• That it was essential to understand what barriers were preventing workers from raising concerns and reporting incidents. The point was made that the forum’s work would be undermined if workers felt there was little point in raising concerns in the first place.

4. The Chair confirmed the forum’s 2nd work strand, set up to consider barriers to recruitment for under-represented groups in the public sector had also made progress and invited one of the task and finish group’s co-chairs to update members as follows:

• The task and finish group co-chairs met on the 19 May to discuss a way forward and it was decided that a workshop would be held at the PCS office in Cardiff to help develop areas of focus.
• It was suggested the task and finish group could work towards developing a guidance manual for employers on fair recruitment. The content would focus on examples of good practice; the recruitment process, with a focus on digitally enabled recruitment and name blind recruitment; the competencies/behaviours/ lived experience sought and the interview process. It could also include a section on the induction of new staff into a hybrid environment.
• Membership of the task and finish group was outlined and the forum was asked to provide any further nominations for this or the workshop to the secretariat.
• It was agreed that the expertise of the CIPD Equality Lead and NHS Cymru Shared Services would be drawn on. Welsh Government also offered a resource to look at existing guidance and draw out any commonalities that might be of use in developing a focus.

Action

Members to provide any further nominations for the task and finish group or workshop to the PSFWF Secretariat.

5. The Chair confirmed that further to the last meeting the agreements and reports of the Workforce Partnership Council (WPC) had been uploaded to the Resource Centre. Members were reminded to suggest any existing materials or resources they wished to see added to the centre or, any views on documents from the WPC that could now be removed. The Chair stressed that any documents or materials being removed or added would need to be approved by the forum.

6. It was suggested that Cardiff Council's Migrant Worker Charter, which had now been fully translated, could be added to the centre. It was also suggested that the resource centre become a standing item for each meeting. Both of these proposals were accepted by members.

Actions

PSFWF Secretariat to arrange for Cardiff Council’s Migrant Worker Charter to be uploaded to the forum’s resource centre and to confirm to members when this has been completed.

PSFWF Secretariat to ensure the resource centre is a standing item at each meeting of the forum going forward.

7. The Chair invited TUC Cymru to provide an update on the key priorities and emerging themes from the TUC’s Central Congress. TUC Cymru updated as follows:

• The First Minister had addressed the Congress outlining his commitment to Social Partnership and on-going engagement with the trade unions.
• At Congress, affiliated trade unions submitted motions around issues that matter to their sectors which, subject to the agreement of Congress would become TUC Cymru priorities. The motions were themed around:
  • High quality public services – covering well paid jobs, NHS pay, as well as funding for education, local libraries and leisure centres.
  • Equality for all – ensuring there is continued funding and implementation of the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan (ArWAP) and reasonable workplace adjustments for neurodivergent workers.
  • Governing for the future – covering devolution of water (protecting workers' rights during Welsh Water sector reform) as well as devolution of prisons, the police and criminal justice.
  • Worker health and safety – looking at violence/harassment towards public transport, education and NHS staff to develop ways of increasing their safety as well as health monitoring for firefighters.

8. The Chair noted that many of these issues directly complemented the work of the forum.

9.    The Chair explained that this item asked the Forum to consider whether they wished to support and promote the approach being taken by Aneurin Bevan University Health Board to use formal disciplinary proceedings in a more flexible way. TUC Cymru outlined the item as follows:

• The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board had been piloting a new approach which treated disciplinary issues less formally (where appropriate) to minimise the harm to those involved.
• The pilot had now been superseded because the Welsh NHS had adopted the approach which considers the length of time of disciplinary proceedings, the psychological impact on those involved, the costs incurred to organisations and the impact on resources if, for example, staff are away from work for a significant length of time with stress. It considers whether misconduct might be the result of systems’ failure or a lack of training and puts the wellbeing of people at the centre of the process.
• Further benefits from the pilot were outlined including a 70% reduction in investigations, a saving of 3,000 days of sickness absences and a significant improvement in staff well-being.
• It was confirmed that the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development and the Healthcare People Management Association had endorsed the approach.
• It was explained that one of the leads on the pilot had offered to present to the forum.
• It was also suggested that the disciplinary policy (which had been fully translated) could be placed on the forum’s resource centre to help with its promotion.
• It was confirmed the pilot team were going to provide a full day’s training on their approach to Welsh Government HR and that an update on this would be provided at the next meeting.
• The forum supported the proposal in principle but as a first step agreed they would receive a presentation from one of the pilot leads. In the meantime, details of the disciplinary policy would be provided to members at which point they would be asked if they agreed to its inclusion on the resource centre.

Actions

The PSFWF Secretariat to arrange a presentation to the Forum on the new approach adopted by the NHS from Andrew Cooper (Aneurin Bevan University Health Board).

The PSFWF Secretariat to circulate further information on the new approach adopted by the NHS to members. At this point, members will be asked if they agree to the new policy being added to the Resource Centre.

Welsh Government HR to provide an update to the next meeting of the PSFWF on the training day they received on the new approach.

10. The Chair outlined matters arising from previous meetings of the forum.

11. The trade unions confirmed that through their networks they had received expressions of interest from a couple of local authorities about potentially piloting the WPC’s AI guidance and would update at the next meeting.

Action

TUC Cymru to provide an update to the next meeting on potentially piloting the WPC’s AI guidance.

12. The Chair explained that at its first meeting the forum agreed to develop a Research Network (a loose network of colleagues from across relevant research and higher education institutions). It was envisaged that it would act as a knowledge exchange with universities and research institutions connecting policy makers with relevant research activities and expertise. The Chair said the Secretariat had received interest in joining the network from: Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research and Data, Wales Centre for Public Policy as well as Aberystwyth, Cardiff, Swansea, Bangor and Bristol universities.

13. The Chair asked members if they were content for the secretariat to contact the network to find out if there was any relevant research they could share with the forum to support its work strands. This was agreed by members.

14. The Chair explained that a query had been raised about the accuracy of the Welsh translation of the Forum’s name. The secretariat confirmed this had now been amended and would be used for any future branding activity.

15. The sponsored bodies representative confirmed she was retiring. The secretariat will pursue a nomination for a new member with the Devolved Services Group.

Actions

The PSFWF Secretariat to contact the Research Network to explore whether there was existing research they could share with the Forum to support its work strands.

PSFWF Secretariat to pursue the proposed replacement for the sponsored bodies representative with the Devolved Services Group and then confirm the outcome to members.

• Sharon Davies (Chair) - WLGA (Employer)
• Alyson Watkins - WLGA (Employer)
• Samantha Morgan - NHS (Employer)
• Alison Standfast - Sponsored Bodies (Employer)
• Aimee Symonds (Dom Houlihan’s deputy) - Welsh Government (Employer)
• Laura Doel - NAHT (Trade Union)
• Sian Boyles - PCS (Trade Union)
• Mark Turner - Unison (Trade Union)
• Ceri Williams (Tom Hoyles' deputy) - TUC Cymru (Trade Union)
• Tanya Bull (Nicky Hughes' deputy) - Unison (Trade Union)
• Georgina Haarhoff - Welsh Government
• Stephen Layne - Welsh Government

Apologies

• Nicky Hughes - RCN
• Tom Hoyles - GMB
• Dom Houlihan - Welsh Government
• Reg Kilpatrick - Welsh Government
• Helen Arthur - Welsh Government

Other

• Sharon West - Welsh Government

Support Team

• Mark Lewis - Welsh Government
• Jessica Khoshooee - Welsh Government
• Catherine Evans - Welsh Government
• Beca ap Robert - Welsh Government