06.12.13
Health budget remains protected in Autumn Statement
The NHS has welcomed the continued protection of the healthcare budget in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, set out yesterday.
But changes to pensions will also affect NHS staff, raising concerns that an older workforce may be less able to provide the same level of service.
Dean Royles, chief executive of the NHS Employers organisation, said: “The health budget remains protected, which is good news, but it nevertheless continues to present an enormous efficiency challenge for the NHS.
“I'm keen to understand the potential implications for the Government's plan to pilot 'pay bill control' in a small number of government organisations, which will involve setting a new financial control to keep the organisation’s pay bill within a pre-determined budget agreed with the Treasury. This new control will replace the 1% cap on pay awards for the organisations involved in the pilot. What we really need now is to agree how we can move out of a period of pay restraint in a sensible way.
“The continued funding settlement means an even greater imperative to conclude negotiations with consultants to help change the way we deliver services.”
Dr Peter Carter, chief executive & general secretary of the RCN said: “Following the uncertainty caused by recent changes to NHS pensions, in particular linking the occupational pension to the state pension age, this announcement will do nothing to reassure nurses that they can plan and save for their retirement with any certainty.
“It is also not credible that the Government has any evidence that nurses and other health care staff will be able to deliver the level of service that they do now when they are 68. There should be a great deal of caution before any further rises to the retirement age of health care workers are considered, due to the unique nature and demands of this job and the implications that such a rise could have on patient care.”
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Image c. M. Holland