02.09.14
Government politicising PRB on ‘out of hours’ working contracts – RCN
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has accused the government of politicising the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB) after health minister Dr Dan Poulter asked for its observations on “affordable out of hours working arrangements”.
In a letter sent to the NHSPRB, Dr Poulter stated that there is a strong case for seven day services on the grounds of both patient safety and quality of patient care.
He highlighted, for example, recommendations of the NHS Services, Seven Days a Week Forum, accepted by NHS England, to explore the consequences of the non-availability of clinical services across the seven day week and that availability needs to be achieved in a clinically and financially sustainable way.
For 2015-16, the NHSPRB has been asked to make observations on the barriers and enablers within the Agenda for Change pay system, for delivering health care services every day of the week – without increasing the existing spend.
However, Dr Peter Carter, chief executive and general secretary of the RCN, stated that earlier this year the government ignored the recommendation from the NHSPRB to pay all NHS staff an increase of 1%.
“Now, the government is asking the Review Body to look at how health care services can be delivered every day of the week at no extra cost - something that can only be achieved by nurses and healthcare assistants working more night shifts and weekends for no additional or reduced pay,” he said.
“It seems that the Review Body is being politicised and the government will only accept recommendations that it likes.”
Dr Carter added the latest announcement is an “attack” on nurses and healthcare assistants, “showing that the government's declared support for the NHS is nothing but empty rhetoric”.
Although the NHSPRB’s remit covers the whole of the UK, for this particular remit on “affordable out of hours working arrangements”, the government has asked that it makes observations for England only. The letter stated that it is for each of the devolved administrations to make their own decisions.
Dr Poulter added that the DH expects the report on contract reform to be ready by July 2015. With regards to the politicisation of the issue and Dr Carter’s comments, NHE has asked DH for a comment but at the time of publication has received no reply.
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