ROTA MANAGEMENT – Organisational Template Based Rota Management

Organisational Template Based Rotas

This guide will help you navigate the rota planning process, ensuring your team is supported and your practice runs efficiently.

 

The video for this is shown at the bottom but you may want to go to our YouTube channel directly so you can click through to any bits that you are particularly interested in: https://youtu.be/bnOW6cOijy0

 

What am I trying to do?

The first step in rota planning is understanding the task at hand. This part of the process takes place in the Annual Planner screen.

  • Check the Organisation Template: Review your organisation template here to understand the sessions required for the week.

Who have I got?

All of your available resources can be managed and checked in the Annual Planner screen:

  • Check the User Templates for the Week: Identify who has a template for the week and is available.
  • Check What Leave There Is: Review which staff members are on leave. This will help you account for gaps in coverage before starting the rota.

Have I got enough people to cover my organisation template?

Still within the Annual Planner, you can assess your coverage:

  • Check the Dials: These visual aids show whether you have enough people to cover your organisation’s template needs for the week.
    • Can I cover it with flexible sessions? Flexible sessions offer adaptability. Check if they can fill any gaps.
    • If not, can I cover it with protected sessions? If flexible sessions aren’t enough, consider whether protected sessions can help.

 

Starting to Rota

Now, it’s time to move on from the Annual Planner to the Rotas view.

  • Check the Shift Mode Views (Optional): These views can give you a clearer picture of the shifts you are managing within the template.
  • Load the Rotas:
    • Load the Organisational Template and Protected User Sessions: Import the templates you’ve already reviewed in the Annual Planner into the rota.
    • Decide whether to load people on leave: If someone is off for the whole week, you might choose not to load them. However, it can be helpful to include them for visibility.

Selecting People into the Organisational Template

Once you’ve loaded the template, begin assigning staff to their sessions.

  • Covering Unfilled Sessions: If there are still gaps, this is the moment to decide how to cover them—whether by reallocating existing staff, using additional shifts, or finding other solutions.

Using Remaining Flexible Sessions

Maximise the use of your flexible sessions through:

  • Shift Mode View: A visual approach to flexibly managing your template.
  • Direct Load of Flexible Sessions: Quickly load any remaining flexible sessions to fill gaps in the template.

Final Checks

Before you finish, make sure you’ve covered all your bases:

  • Have you used everyone? Ensure no staff member has been overlooked by cross-referencing with your Annual Planner.
  • Check the Rooms: Ensure your room allocations are correct in the Annual Planner view.
  • Check Appointment Numbers: In the rota view, verify that the appointment numbers match demand.

 

Commit Your Template

When you’re happy with the template, click “Commit.” You’ve just created a balanced template that supports both your staff and patients!