FOI Request - Out of Hours Emergency Duty Team Service
Request 101003879191
I would appreciate data for the current financial year (2025/26) and, where readily available, the previous year (2024/25).
1. Please confirm whether the local authority operates its own Out-of-Hours / Emergency Duty Service (EDT) for Children’s Social Care, Adults Social Care, or both.
2. If not directly operated, please identify the organisation providing the service (e.g. NHS Trust, shared service, or contractor) and the contractual arrangement.
3. Please describe the structure of the EDT, including job titles and number of FTE posts by grade or role.
4. Please specify which teams or functions are integrated (e.g. Children’s, Adults, AMHP, Housing).
5. Please confirm whether EDT staff work primarily from a designated base, from home, or through a hybrid arrangement.
6. Please provide details of EDT staffing, including:
a) job titles and grades; copy of the structure
b) whether sessional/bank staff are used and their pay rates;
c) details of any Out-of-Hours/Unsocial Hours or standby allowances (including method of calculation and whether sessional/bank staff also receive these);
d) any market supplements or retention payments applied to EDT roles; and
e) whether staff receive time off in lieu (TOIL), overtime, or other additional compensation.
7. Please provide a copy or outline of the current EDT rota and on-call arrangements, including shift hours, number of staff per shift, management cover, and handover process.
8. the total annual budget allocated to the EDT service for the current and previous financial year;
9. a breakdown of this budget by staffing, management, allowances, and commissioned elements;
10. any funding contributions from partner organisations (e.g. NHS, district councils, other Local Authorities if shared services, police); and
11. any known efficiency or savings targets applied to the EDT service.
12. a summary or copy of the most recent internal or external review, audit or inspection relating to the EDT service;
13. the number of referrals or contacts handled by the EDT in the past 12 months (broken down by Children’s and Adults if available);
14. any current proposals, consultation documents or business cases regarding future changes (or recent changes), restructuring or reorganisation (LGR?) of the EDT or OOH service.
Response 02-12-2025
1. There is an Out of Hours (OOH) service delivered by the local authority which covers both Adult and Childrens social work.
2. Not applicable
3. The Out of Hours team comprises of 3 Grade 9 Social workers, 2 x 1FTE, 1x 0.8FTE.
4. The Social Work team cover all social work related matters for adults and children. There is a separate response for Housing matters.
5. They primarily work from home, however have an office base if required.
6.
a) OOHS Social Worker, grade 9. Reporting to Service Manager, Children & Families and Justice
b) In the case of absence which cannot be covered within the team social work staff within the day teams are utilised to provide cover and will receive overtime payments as per Council policy.
c) 25% enhancement for unsocial hours. This is only received by contracted OOHS staff.
d) Not applicable
e) Overtime is paid where additional hours are worked over contracted hours. TOIL is not used.
7. Shifts Mon-Fri are 16:45 – 00:00, standby 00:00 – 08:45
Sat/Sun 08:30-17:00 & 16:45-00:00, standby 00:00-08:45
Each shift is covered by one worker with an on call manager for adult service and childrens services. Handovers occur via the OOHS SW
8. Children Services 2024/25 £251,289
2025/26 £265,175
9.
| 2024/25 | 2025/26 | ||
| A | Employee Costs Total | £245,070 | £258,956 |
| D | Supplies and Services Total | £2,019 | £2,019 |
| E | Transport & Plant Costs Total | £1,200 | £1,200 |
| J | Transfer Payments Total | £3,000 | £3,000 |
| Total | £251,289 | £265,175 |
10. None
11. None. Please note - there are no efficiency or savings targets directly to Out of Hours but the Council policy is that if there a vacancies in a service for a couple of months while recruitment takes place these savings are taken.
12. The last inspection that the OOHS team were part of was the Moray Joint Inspection of children at risk of harm: 'Moray joint inspection children at risk of harm' to be found here: https://www.careinspectorate.com/images/documents/7416/Moray%20joint%20inspection%20children%20at%20risk%20of%20harm.pdf
13. There has been a change within the last 12 months of how initial referrals are handled which has affected the accuracy of data collection so this is not immediately available.
14. Not applicable