The document discusses implementing an interface between the Intrepid database used by the Deanery and the NHS trusts' ESR payroll system. The interface automates transferring trainee information between the systems, reducing manual data entry and improving data accuracy and communication between organizations. It describes how Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham piloted the interface, the benefits of reduced administration time and errors, and advice for other trusts implementing the interface.

1. SUMMARY
The NHS ESR Central Team provide an interface between Intrepid, which is the main source of
information held by the Deanery, and ESR (Electronic Staff Record) which is the payroll system relied
upon by NHS trusts nationwide. The Streamlined Deanery Interface processes combine the legacy
Recruitment and Update interfaces into one single interdependent process, whilst simplifying the
ESR processes and delivering additional functionality.
The Streamlined Deanery Interface allows position information established in ESR to be supplied to
the Deanery System (Intrepid), which in turn allows medical trainee information to be passed back
into ESR.
This results in a number of benefits, the key one being a reduction in administration time for Medical
Staffing teams and helps improve overall communication between NHS organisations and the
Deanery.
STREAMLINING MEDICAL STAFFING
IMPLEMENTING THE ESR/INTREPID INTERFACE
BACKGROUND
Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB), which is run by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS
Foundation Trust (UHB), is recognised as one of the leading hospitals in Europe and has an international
reputation for quality of care, informatics/IT, clinical training and research.
The £545m construction opened its doors to patients on 16 June 2010 and the building offers accommo-
dation which has been favourably compared to a high-profile, award-winning private hospital. It has
1,213 inpatient beds, 30 operating theatres and a 100-bed critical care unit, the largest co-located criti-
cal care unit in the world.
QEHB employs more than 9,000 members of staff and has
successfully transferred its services from two hospitals, a
mile and a half apart, into the UK’s newest and largest sin-
gle-site hospital.
The location on one site of QEHB, RCDM, the University of
Birmingham Medical School and Birmingham Women’s
Hospital makes our healthcare campus one of the largest
in the world. QEHB also has close strategic and operational
links with other nearby hospital trusts, including Birming-
ham Children’s Hospital and the Royal Orthopaedic Hospi-
tal.
The Trust were the first to pilot the ESR/Intrepid Interface
in the West Midlands region during 2014.
KEY AIMS
 Improved data quality
 Reduction in processing times
 Removal of duplication
 Improved communication with HEWM
 Improved reporting data
 Removal/reduction of manual data
entry
“Medical Staffing leads in the West Midlands identified the ESR/Intrepid interface as a key priority for our
Streamlining Project as it avoids unnecessary duplication, reduces input errors and improves the accuracy of our
data.”
Sue Wakeman, Exec Champion & Director of Human Resources, George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust.

2. WHAT WE DID
Initial Stages
1. Generation of a Vacancy Matrix report through Intrepid – Used to identify all training positions within
Trust.
2. Position Number report generated from ESR – Used to identify existing positions within ESR used for
all present training grade assignments.
Project meeting initiated between Medical Resourcing and ESR Workforce Team – This was to discuss du-
ties and responsibilities. These are summarised as:
Medical Resourcing Team
MR Team would determine the specialties, grade and the relevant pay scales associated for each training
position identified from the vacancy matrix to help support the ESR Workforce Team in the creation of
positions. It was very important that each training position retained the WMD training number as this
would be the unique identifier that will enable the interface to interact between systems.
ESR Workforce Team
Creation of individual position numbers for every training position within the Trust against information
provided by the Medical Resourcing Team. Position Description was detailed as the ‘WMD training post
number’ to help identify duplicate positions on ESR reports. Previously generated position numbers were
also used and updated with missing information to reduce the position creation workload.
WHY WE DID IT
Prior to this interface there was a heavy administrative burden on the Medical Resourcing team in rela-
tion to ESR as each trainee record would be manually input onto ESR through direct hire. This process
was susceptible to general human error, inputting errors and led to a large amount of hours which could
be utilised much more effectively in supporting other aspects of Medical Recruitment.
A lot of hours were also spent interpreting new trainee rotational Information supplied by the deanery as
allocation formats would largely differ across individual specialties (Some used TIS Sheets others used
various excel spreadsheets) and each would need to be mapped against previous allocations to ascertain
trainee replacements.
Collaboration with other stakeholders within the Trust would take place more often, for example, with
our Finance Teams to help identify associated funding alignments and discuss specialty establishments.
RESOURCES
No direct funding was required to support the implementation of this interface; therefore, this was meas-
ured through time.
There were initial time constraints in the setup of this process as our trainee numbers total 570+ which re-
quired an individual position number creating for every single training post. Without the engagement from
the ESR workforce team this project would not have progressed.
Time spent from MR Team – 6+ hours from MR Manager to complete vacancy matrix and quality assure
Time spent from ESR Workforce Team – 8 days from Band 3 ESR assistant (data inputting of position infor-
mation), 2-3 days from ESR manager to quality assure position information.

3. KEY OUTCOMES
 Reduced the administrative burden for the trust in entering data on behalf of new trainees – calcu-
lated at a saving of 30 minutes per application.
 Enables a full trainee dataset to be populated in ESR using the Inter Authority Transfer functionali-
ty at a much earlier stage in the process (applicant stage).
 Reduction in duplicated ESR Personal Records and Improved the internal transfer process for train-
ees that rotate to a different post within the same employer. (Personal Assignments are simply up-
dated in ESR with the new post details using the existing personal record under an applicant as-
signment)
 Improves data consistency and the potential for improvements in data quality across the two sys-
tems.
 Supports consistent local and national reporting.
 Junior Doctor Information is much more accurate due to the removal of the direct input.
 More time made available for employment checking.
 Improved communication
allocations. This then led to us frequently requesting
new position numbers to be created.
However, we soon discovered that it is possible to
list multiple valid payscales within an individual po-
sition number in advance within the ‘Valid pay-
scales’ tab of each position, it enabled whoever
would be completing the hiring process to tailor the
payment method to match the trainee without con-
sistently requesting this information was updated.
Also a large proportion of the setup was down to
the amount of work needed in generating the posi-
tion numbers within ESR - It’s imperative your ESR
workforce team are engaged and on board with this
implementation. Without the hard work from the
ESR Workforce Team in supporting the creation of
the positions this would not have progressed to its
present state.
KEY CHALENGES
Concerns regarding the accuracy and validity of the
data held within the Deanery database (Intrepid),
however this issue would prevail regardless of
whether or not implementation of the interface
occurred.
Initial set up – time constraints. Reorganisation and
re-prioritisation of internal workloads was re-
quired. It was envisaged that any time spent during
initial stages of the setup would be offset later in
the process once inputting time was reduced/
removed – this proved accurate.
ADVICE FOR OTHER TRUSTS
We initially found issues with differing trainee pay-
scales being associated within individual training
WHY SHOULD WE?
In the West Midlands there are approximately 10,000 Junior Doctor rotations per year, if all of
these are managed via the interface with an average saving of 30 minutes admin time each.
This equals a potential saving across the region of 2.6FTE or equivalent salary costs of £78,000
( based on an average NHS Salary.)
Within the West Midlands the majority of Trusts have implemented the interface and the esti-
mated savings based on records transferred during this implementation period in 2015 is 1.6
FTE or £48,000.

4. HOW IT WORKS
The interface between Intrepid and ESR allows personal trainee records established within in-
trepid to be supplied to the ESR system directly removing the need to manually input this information
through direct hire. Once this applicant record is established, it is processed as normal through the
hire process to ‘employee’ stage.
The interface reduces inputting errors as the system is fully automated; improves the communi-
cation between HEWM and the Trust in relation to allocations as records are automatically generated
on ESR.
ESR workflow notifications are also generated which outlines all records that were downloaded
alongside an overview spreadsheet of the position allocation changes. This overview spreadsheet de-
tails the WMD number, grade, existing trainee, replacement trainee (if any) and the rotation dates.
Establishment reports are easier to generate as each trainee can be mapped against the relevant
WMD training numbers and identified through ESR – this also supports the review of LDA reports as we
can identify where trainee funding is provided and where there are any issues (or missing funding!).
Medical Resourcing SOP’s all now incorporate the interface within working practices. Training
guidance on the interface is also incorporated into local induction training and ESR system training
guides.
UHB Finance teams now fully utilise the establishment reports that are generated by the Medical
Resourcing team through amalgamation of both vacancy matrix and ESR reports – This is by utilising
the WMD interface positions to align trainee allocations against the vacancy matrix and ensure estab-
lishments match.
Vacant positions within trainee allocations are identified earlier in the process allowing local re-
cruitment to be initiated sooner – this is key in ensuring gaps are recruited to as soon as possible.
Useful Links/Guides:
https://www.electronicstaffrecord.nhs.uk/home
 ESR-NHS00111 The Streamlined ESR and Deanery System Interface Guide
 ESR-NHS0140 Go-Live Process for Streamlined Junior Doctor Interface
Further Info: Nicholas Chappells, email: Nicholas.chappells@uhb.nhs.uk
Medical Resourcing Manager, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
Kim Reynolds Streamlining Account Manager kim@kimreynoldsltd.co.uk
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Number of West Midlands Trusts live with the
Streamlined Deanery Interface Process REGIONAL PROGRESS
As can be seen from the chart since
August 2014 when there were 9
Trusts using the interface, signifi-
cant progress has been made by
Trusts implementing the interface
and as at January 2016 22 Trusts
have the interface implemented.