The changing context of employment in the NHS: some legal implications of changes to employment contracts

The NHS has undergone and continues to undergo rapid change. As a result of this the duties and responsibilities of employees will also change. Managers within the NHS have a responsibility to ensure that appropriate contracts of employment are held by employees and that, where required, variations in these contracts are documented. This paper uses the example of the changing role of the executive nurse director to highlight the importance of this need. It concludes by warning that failure to consider both the legal duties placed on employers when implementing contractual variations and the legal implications of adopting an unlawful method of variation, might lead to large legal bills and a demand on managerial time dealing with any legal claim against the employer.