How do I set up and manage staff rotas in the system?

Staff Rota Management

Care Pathway Pro includes comprehensive rota management tools to help you schedule staff efficiently and ensure adequate care coverage.

Prerequisites and Permissions

• You must have “Organisation Manager” or “Organisation Admin” role
• Staff members must already exist in the system with correct job roles
• Working hours and shift patterns should be configured in organisation settings

Initial Rota Setup

Step 1: Configure Shift Patterns

1. Go to Settings → Rota Settings
2. Click “Shift Patterns” → “+ Add Shift Pattern”
3. Define your shift patterns (Early 07:00-15:00, Late 14:00-22:00, Night 22:00-07:00, etc.)
4. For each shift, specify name, start/end time, break duration, shift colour, and shift code
5. Click “Save Shift Pattern”

Step 2: Set Minimum Staffing Requirements

In Rota Settings, click “Staffing Requirements”. For each location/home, specify minimum number of care staff, senior care staff, nurses per shift, and required staff-to-service user ratio. Set requirements separately for weekdays and weekends.

Creating a New Rota

Method 1: Manual Rota Creation

1. Go to Staff → Staff Rota → “+ Create New Rota”
2. Select the week and location/home
3. Click “Create Blank Rota”
4. Click on cells to assign shifts (Early, Late, Night, or mark as Annual Leave, Sick, Day Off)
5. Click “Save Rota”

Method 2: Copy from Previous Week

Click “+ Create New Rota” → Select the week → “Copy from Previous Week” → Review and adjust → “Save Rota”.

Method 3: Use Rota Template

If you have a standard rota pattern, save it as a template. Then click “+ Create from Template” → Select template → Select start date → “Apply Template” → Review and adjust → “Save Rota”.

Managing Staff Absences

Recording Annual Leave

Click on the staff member’s cell for the day(s) they’re on leave, select “Annual Leave” from the dropdown. The system automatically deducts from their annual leave entitlement and flags the shift as needing cover.

Recording Sickness

Click on the staff member’s cell, select “Sick Leave”, add a note if required. The system marks the shift as needing urgent cover and sends notifications to available staff.

Finding Cover

Click the “Find Cover” button next to the uncovered shift. The system shows available staff who are scheduled as off that day, haven’t exceeded maximum hours, have the required qualifications, and are available for that shift type. Click “Offer Shift” next to a staff member’s name to send them a notification.

Staff Self-Service Features

Staff can log in and view their upcoming shifts for the next 4 weeks in “My Rota”. They can view shift details, add to personal calendar, request shift changes, and request time off.

Publishing the Rota

Once complete, click “Publish Rota”, select how far ahead to publish (e.g., 2 weeks), choose notification method (email, SMS, or in-app only), and click “Publish”. All staff receive their shifts and published rotas are locked from accidental changes.

Working Time Directive Compliance

The system helps you comply with UK Working Time Regulations including maximum weekly hours (48 hours averaged over 17 weeks), night work limit (8 hours in 24-hour period), rest between shifts (minimum 11 consecutive hours), weekly rest (24 hours uninterrupted per week), and breaks (20-minute break if working more than 6 hours).