FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Each department has different needs. For some, an integrated leave book and rota are key, for others activity reports and inter-week analysis are important. Less obvious factors behind the power of this system is its innovative technique for dealing with recurrent sessional activity and for quickly reassigning resources to meet changing circumstances. Below are some frequently asked questions about the system.
Reliability
How does it work?
CLWRota is a web-based application that works through your internet browser. Changes made to the rota can be made in real time and the rota can be accessed live on the internet
How is the system supported?
Ongoing support and improvement of CLWRota is an essential part of our proposition.
The system is hosted on our servers in a London data centre. We provide email support as part of our standard package, and can provide consultancy, training and telephone support if required. Our servers are backed up at least once daily. We run lots of corporate servers and have considerable experience in this area.
Is our data secure?
Only a minimal amount of personal information is stored to the system and departments using our service do so over a secure https connection using a high-quality commercial security certificate.
Data protection standards are clearly set out in our terms of service, which incorporates the data protection provisions of the OGC (Office of Government Commerce) model contract.
Can I only access CLWRota from the NHS?
No, CLWRota is a web application and can be accessed by anyone with the correct security credentials anywhere on the internet. This means consultants can book leave from home, or check their rota from abroad, while trainees can check their activity for the afternoon equally easily from mobile devices or department workstations.
Access to the system is made over a secure web connection (https) encrypted using a commercial security certificate. Users need either a general 'guest' access password that is regularly changed, or a specific password in the case of consultants, trainees and Rota Masters.
Composition
Will it replace our department administrators?
CLWRota is designed to make your department run much more smoothly and to let people know where they are expected to be. It also helps plan department activity better, reassign work quickly and accurately, and provides useful reports on past performance.
However, CLWRota will never replace staff who know the specifics of your department, and the special knowledge that is required to keep things running well. CLWRota does not attempt to double-guess humans about the best way of doing things, it is simply a powerful tool for assisting people in generating and modifying rotas accurately, quickly and easily.
Is CLWRota European Working Time Directive (EWTD) compliant?
CLWRota is able to enforce rules according to the running of your department to enable the rota to be written and managed in a way that is in accordance with EWTD.
Rota changes
Who else has access to the rota?
As well as rota masters, all consultants and trainees are provided with their own logins so they can sign in and view their personal rotas. Other people and departments can also be given read-only access to published rotas.
Leave
How is leave booked on the system?
Leave can be booked by consultants from their own login area, which also shows their personal activity for forthcoming published rotas, providing that the leave book has not been closed by the Rota Master.
How does the system control who has leave?
The system uses a set of criteria that allows highly effective management of the leave book.
Reports
What sort of reports can CLWRota run?
Our system is able to run comprehensive reports on activity, leave, and on call information as well as week-by-week statistics. Trainee reports also show details of training specialties and supervision rates. The reports can provide valuable information on how your department is functioning and allow for effective job planning.
Alerts
Why have SMS and email alerts?
SMS and email alerts will help save trainees and consultants time when sessions change close to their start date.
SMS alerts will be provided as a separate cost.
More information
How much does it cost?
Costs are on an annual or monthly per-user basis for all enabled Consultants and Trainees in the system. As many other users, such as surgical department staff or theatre staff, may use the system as is desired at no extra cost.
Additional costs are payable for text messaging alerts. Standard email alerts are part of the main package costs.
Can I get a free evaluation?
We offer to come into your department and set up CLWRota for free for a six-week evaluation period during which we help you set up, populate and test the system to see if it meets your departments needs. Following this evaluation period we invite you to join our formal trial program.
Is CLWRota in use anywhere?
As of June 2010, CLWRota is in use in 21 departments of anaesthesia around the UK, including Chelsea & Westminster, UCLH, Coventry University hospital, the joint departments of Bournemouth & Poole, Musgrove Park, East Surrey, Hillingdon, Worcestershire, the 3 departments of the East Kent Trust, Epsom & St. Helier, Newcastle RVI, Newcastle Freeman, Central Manchester and South Manchester University Hospital.
Why focus on Anaesthetics and Radiology?
We can provide CLWRota for a number of different types of department, but we are focussing on anaesthetics and radiology because these departments are typically big, complex, and session-based. The system is primarily aimed at departments of 20 or more clinicians.
