The importance of using Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process in ESR
The Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process is an important function for ensuring that NHS employees data is transferred in a timely and accurate manner, thereby streamlining process and improving data quality. We recommend that Trusts utilise this capability and embed it into their recruitment/onboarding process.
What is IAT in ESR?
Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) is an automated process that removes the manual processes associated with NHS Staff Transfer Forms - reducing data entry following the appointment of existing NHS staff from other NHS Employing authorities. Specifically, a Portable Data Set (PDS) of the employee’s data is transferred between NHS organisations (within ESR).
IAT should be used when an employee who works in one NHS Employing Authority is leaving to work for another NHS Employing Authority, following the offer accepted stage.
For NHS Organisations to receive the benefits of IAT, best practice should be followed, ensuring that the relevant User Responsibility Profiles (URPs) and Roles are allocated to users.
National IAT Usage
Over the past 2 years, circa 160,000 IATs have been run by organisations capturing the movement of NHS staff. The graph below shows a breakdown by region during this period.
There are large spikes of IAT use during September 2022 and September 2023 - this is due to Resident Doctor rotations between NHS organisations.
The diagram below shows how IAT works when used according to best practice.
The Benefits of IAT
The Inter Authority Transfer capability is an integral part of the recruitment and transfer of employee information process, and helps deliver many business benefits and needs, such as:
- Improves the range and quality of data transferred between NHS Organisations, including a complete employment service history from Organisations using ESR.
- Facilitates the earlier production of Contracts of Employment as a result of more timely and accurate data transfer.
- Securely transfers details of immunisations and vaccination checks at the pre-employment stage to Occupational Health Advisors (role holders).
- Transfers pre-hire data related to statutory and mandatory competencies to aid induction programmes and remove duplicate training and associated costs.
- Assists in paying staff correctly from commencement of employment reducing the need for retrospective corrections.
- Enables the standard NHS Employers Reference to be sent to a previous employer (internal or external) for completion and returned to the requestor Organisation electronically.
- Highlights at the pre-hire stage, in the standard factual reference notification, an indication as to whether employee relations information exists for an employee.
- Reduces processing costs at Organisation level by automating key tasks and reduces the time delay in obtaining current NHS staff information following transfers.
IAT also supports the efficient onboarding of new starters by enabling a more robust new starters process with reduced repeat administration and having an onboarding process that is effective and professionally managed. It also gives a richer and more efficient induction to new employees joining the organisation.
NHS Organisations are asked to review their recruitment and onboarding processes to ensure they are optimising the full benefits of IAT for the employee, the organisation and the wider NHS.
Further information
If you require any additional information on IAT, it can be found in the ESR User Manual (once logged into the ESR Portal) or please contact your regional NHSBSA ESR Functional Account Manager.