POL00423679
POL00423679
Message
From:
on behalf of
Sent:
To:
Subject: RE: Speak Up Helpline
lector Campbell f
Hi Joe,
Yes, I think it would be a good idea to do a comms to all relevant managers reiterating the usual data protection
requirements and reminding them that whistleblowers must not be discriminated against (cf. the Public Interest
Disclosure Act).
However, these requirements apply to all the investigations that we carry out at the moment. For example, there is no
difference between a case of internal fraud reported through the disclosure line, through Grapevine, or directly to a line
manager, as all are different methods of whistleblowing. An allegation of misconduct by a sub-postmaster, reported by
amember of his staff, could equally be reported by a call to NBSC, in person to the area sales manager or by post to
Kevin Gilliland.
So I think a reminder will be a good idea, but we’re not actually talking about anything new, which in fact will make it
easier for people to understand! I’ll pop it on my list of things we need to do.
Thanks,
Georgina
Georgina Blair I Regulatory Risk Business Partner
From: Joe Connor
Sent: 07 February 2013 14:10
To: Georgina Blair; Hector Campbell
Subject: RE: Speak Up Helpline
Thanks Georgina — we need to ensure that people are fully trained before they undertake a “case” such as this
Joe
Joe Connor I Head of HR Services
POL00423679
POL00423679
postoffice.co.uk
@postofficenews
From: Georgina Blair
Sent: 06 February 2013 13:37
To: Joe Connor; Hector Campbell
Subject: RE: Speak Up Helpline
Hi Joe,
Thanks, I agree that we need to make sure that we have mapped out the investigation routes for each possible type of
report, as Hector’s team will need to know where to direct reports for investigation. I’m currently doing a bit of
research into this and will discuss it with Hector when I meet him. In order to make sure that we deal with any
particular types of issue that you are worried about, could you give me some examples of matters which you think will
be reported through this line which we don’t already have processes to deal with?
Many thanks,
Georgina
Georgina Blair I Regulatory Risk Business Partner
Georgina blair
postoffice.co.uk
From: Joe Connor
Sent: 05 February 2013 21:07
To: Georgina Blair; Hector Campbell
Subject: RE: Speak Up Helpline
Hi Georgina
I was involved in setting up this process in RM and I think we need to understand more about who would hear any cases.
You say in your e-mail, “the business already has ways of dealing with security matters and HR matters and so on,” I
would like to know more about who you believe could hear such cases as these are very different to other cases we may
currently deal with. I know the number of cases is very small but we need to be prepared.
Thanks
Joe
Joe Connor I Head of HR Services
POL00423679
POL00423679
orth, Stone Hill Road, Farnworth, BOLTON, BL4 9XX
joe.connort
postoffice.
@postofficenews
From: Georgina Blair
Sent: 04 February 2013 14:35
To: Hector Campbell
Cc: Joe Connor
Subject: RE: Speak Up Helpline
Hi Hector,
I was looking through my old e-mails and found this! Things have moved ona little, as you'll have seen from my earlier
e-mail asking about employee and agency network staff numbers. I attach my draft PID which explains a bit of the
background.
The task is to replace the service currently provided under a TSA from Royal Mail Group, who allow us to use their
‘Speak Up’ line, which is an employee disclosure (whistleblowing) line provided by a company called In Touch MCS
Ltd. We have also decided to use a third party specialist provider to take the calls, so that we have 24/7 availability and
to give callers confidence that their identity can be protected if they desired.
Call volumes are likely to be small (probably no more than a few a week) — at the moment they are infinitesimal,
although once we have our own dedicated line in place we are planning to do some awareness raising. Calls can be on
any subject — the line is designed to be the ‘line of last resort’, so if somebody wants to report an instance of wrong
doing (which could be for example: internal fraud, bullying, environmental damage, miss-selling of financial products,
theft from customers or the Post Office, inappropriate conduct with customers, procurement fraud, conflicts of interest)
and they don’t feel they can approach their line manager (or they have tried telling their manager, and he or she hasn’t
done anything to improve the situation).
We need to set up a process within POL for receiving reports which are passed on by the third party provider. These are
potentially of high importance and need to be handled confidentially (although like all lines, it will certainly receive a
number of misdirected calls). RM have a small team in Internal Audit who receive the reports, and then distribute them
to the relevant parts of the business for investigation. Susan Crichton thought your team might be able to help with
this.
Your team’s role would be to assess each report and then pass it on to the appropriate place for investigation. This
doesn’t involve setting up any new investigation processes — the business already has ways of dealing with security
matters and HR matters and so on.
Does this sound like something your team could do? I’m happy to set up a call or meeting to give you some more info
about how it all works.
Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
Georgina
POL00423679
POL00423679
Georgina Blair I Regulatory Risk Business Partner
Georgina. blairf
postoffice.co.uk
From: Hector Campbell
Sent: 30 March 2012 08:22
To: Georgina Blair
Cc: Steve Beddoe; Joe Connor
Subject: FW: Speak Up Helpline
Georgina
As you can see from the series of mails below this issue has been ‘doing the rounds’ and has now came my way.
Reading through the trail it does look like something that my team could administer moving forward however I have no
knowledge whatsoever about what this Helpline actually is. I am told that you are to go to person on this one Georgina so
could we slot in quick call when you have some free time in order that I can get a better feel of what is required.
Regards
Hector
From: Steve Beddoe
Sent: 29 March 2012 14:55
To: Hector Campbell; Joe Connor
Cc: Matt Sadler; Mario Michael; Georgina Blair
Subject: RE: Speak Up Helpline
Hector,
Is this something that could be considered please, Georgina knows a lot of the detail.
Regards,
Steve
Sourcing Manager
Managed Services & Sourcing
Post Office Ltd Operations
1st Floor West, Royal Mail No 1 Future Walk, West Bars, CHESTERFIELD, S49 1PF
VoiceMail: , Mobile:
External Email: steve.beddoe@
Post Office Ltd
Registered in England and Wales number: 2154540 Registered Office: 148 Old Street LONDON EC1V 9HQ.
From: Hector Campbell
Sent: 29 March 2012 14:52
To: Joe Connor; Steve Beddoe
Cc: Matt Sadler; Mario Michael
Subject: RE: Speak Up Helpline
POL00423679
POL00423679
Joe
Nothing has came my way.
Thanks
Hector
From: Joe Connor
Sent: 29 March 2012 14:29
To: Steve Beddoe; Hector Campbell
Cc: Matt Sadler; Mario Michael
Subject: Re: Speak Up Helpline
Hi Steve, not that I am aware, Hector??
Joe
From: Steve Beddoe
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2012 03:18 PM
To: Joe Connor
Cc: Matt Sadler; Mario Michael
Subject: FW: Speak Up Helpline
Hi Joe,
Has anyone asked you if this is something that could potentially be done at Farnworth as the external contract is expiring
soon, very small volumes.
Regards,
Steve
Sourcing Manager
Managed Services & Sourcing
Post Office Ltd Operations
1st Floor West, Royal Mail No 1 Future Walk, West Bars, CHESTERFIELD, S49 1PF
STD Phone:
External Email: steve. beddoeq~
Post Office Ltd
Registered in England and Wales number: 2154540 Registered Office: 148 Old Street LONDON EC1V 9HQ.
, Mobile:
From: Matt Sadler
Sent: 27 March 2012 14:54
To: Mario Michael; Steve Beddoe
Cc: Georgina Blair
Subject: RE: Speak Up Helpline
Mario
This sounds like more of a business question — are HRSC Farnworth able and willing to take on the service. I would
suggest asking Joe Connor.
EIC is not a strategic solution and is likely to be replaced, so any IT requirements would feed into the new solution for call
tracking depending on the above.
Regards, Matt
Matt Sadler
IT & Change
Business Solutions Manager
Digital, HR, Finance
© 148 Old Street, London, EC1V 9HQ
6 t
© www.postoffice.co.uk
Building a Post Office® we can all be proud of
Confidential Information:
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From: Mario Michael
Sent: 27 March 2012 14:35
To: Matt Sadler; Steve Beddoe
Cc: Georgina Blair
Subject: RE: Speak Up Helpline
Matt
Any thoughts on this from my email of a couple of weeks ago.
Is it something we can do via Farmworth/EIC?
Regards
Mario Michael
Sourcing Manager
Managed Services & Sourcing
Operations
Post Office Ltd
148 Old Street - 2nd Floor
EC1V 9HQ
il: mario.michael¢
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please contact me by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message.
From: Georgina Blair
Sent: 15 March 2012 10:02
To: Mario Michael
Cc: Matt Sadler
Subject: RE: Speak Up Helpline
Thanks - I'll check back with you in a week or so. Am copying Matt so he is fully involved!
Georgina
Georgina Blair
Regulatory Risk Business Partner
Post Office Ltd
georgina.blairg
From: Mario Michael
Sent: 15 March 2012 10:00
To: Georgina Blair
Subject: RE: Speak Up Helpline
Hi
We don't know what the solution is yet so hold fire on the PID (which you will also need your IT & Change- BSM to be
involved in).
At the moment I am waiting to find out if there is a solution in house (with our HR team in Farnworth) to renewing the
current contract/looking for something similar in the market and if/when that door closes we can review.
Regards
Mario Michael
Sourcing Manager
Managed Services & Sourcing
Operations
Post Office Ltd
148 Old Street - 2nd Floor
EC1V 9HQ
Confidential Information: This e-mail message is for the sole use of the intended recipient (s) and may contain confidential and
privileged information. Any unauthorised review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient,
please contact me by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message.
From: Georgina Blair
Sent: 14 March 2012 15:51
To: Mario Michael
Subject: FW: Speak Up Helpline
POL00423679
POL00423679
Hi Mario,
Have we got any opinions on this? I am not sure what I need to do in terms of drawing up a PID etc, so would be grateful
for some direction.
Thanks,
Georgina
Georgina Blair
Regulatory Risk Business Partner
From: Georgina Blair
Sent: 09 March 2012 17:24
To: Mario Michael; Matt Sadler; Steve Beddoe
Subject: Re: Speak Up Helpline
Hi
It's a both a telephone and web based service. The cost should be rather less for POL on its own - 40k is the cost for the
service to the whole group. We would expect POL usage to go up when the line is properly promoted.
An independent third party provider is preferred in order to give callers a guarantee of confidentiality.
Please ask if anybody wants further detail on disclosure lines and their reasons for being - I have been to numerous
briefings by the charity Public Concern at Work and can probably replicate their director's speech if you ask nicely!
Thanks
Georgina
From: Mario Michael
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2012 05:57 PM
To: Matt Sadler; Steve Beddoe
Cc: Georgina Blair
Subject: Speak Up Helpline
Gents
The contract with Intouch expires in Aug 2012 and in line with Separation POL will need to stick or twist in this respect.
Georgina says the cost is approx £40k per annum and less than 10 calls are made by POL staff per year.
It looks as though this has moved from a telephone helpline service to a web based service (is this correct Georgina)?
https:/Avww.intouchfeedback.com/index.asp?Lid=1&Cid=2752
Speaking to Steve, Matt, is there an option to go via the EIC or HR Farnworth route rather than employ a 34 party??
Regards
Mario Michael
POL00423679
POL00423679
Sourcing Manager
Managed Services & Sourcing
Operations
Post Office Ltd
148 Old Street - 2nd Floor
EC1V 9HQ
Confidential Information: This e-mail message is for the sole use of the intended recipient (s) and may contain confidential and
privileged information. Any unauthorised review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient,
please contact me by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message.