14.01.15
NHS says unsocial hours pay needs ‘restructuring’ – but 100,000 disagree
Unsocial hours pay arrangements in the NHS need to be ‘restructured’ to help provide a ‘better, safer and more responsive service’ for patients, NHS Employers has stated.
But a petition telling the government not to cut unsocial hours pay for NHS workers has gathered more than 100,000 signatures already, since the Department of Health raised the issue just days ago.
In its submission to the NHS Pay Review Body, the NHS Employers organisation said most of its members believe the extra costs for staff working evenings and weekends are a “financial disincentive” to providing non-urgent care at some times of the week.
The recent HR Barometer Survey showed that approximately 60% of respondents think the Agenda for Change (AfC) unsocial hours provisions need to be reviewed, while 26% said unsocial hours ‘enhancements’ are a barrier to seven-day working.
NHS Employers said any changes to pay must be negotiated with health unions, but possibilities include paying more hours in the week as ‘plain time’, adjusting enhanced unsocial hours payments and various flexibilities to enable adequate staffing at all times.
Last week the DH announced that it wanted to reform the way NHS staff on the AfC pay system are remunerated for working unsocial hours. However, this has been met with a backlash from employees and unions.
Tom Sandford, director of the Royal College of Nursing England, said: “By asking the review body to ensure its recommendations on seven day services do not cost any extra money, the government is interfering with a supposedly independent body and attempting to force the dismantling of AfC and unsocial hours payments.
“Nurses want to provide high-quality care at any time of day, any day of the week. In fact, the majority of nursing staff already do work unsocial hours to provide care to patients.
“The government is in danger of making working for the NHS unaffordable for many nurses and health care assistants. When the NHS is facing a recruitment crisis, this is an utterly reckless course of action.”
NHS Employers has, in some respects, agreed with the government as it says “there is a consensus among employers that changes are needed to the unsocial hours pay arrangements”.
However, it added that there are a range of views on exactly how the unsocial hours pay enhancements should be “recast to be more supportive of care delivery across the week”.
Danny Mortimer, chief executive of the NHS Employers organisation, said: “Our submission makes it clear that improvements in seven-day working will help the NHS to run more efficiently. For this to happen, the pay and terms and conditions of service for all NHS staff need to continue to adapt to make them more affordable and sustainable.
“Unsocial hours payment arrangements are one of the key issues that need to be addressed and we are keen to work with national trade unions to explore the scope for agreeing a fair package of pay, terms and conditions which is fit for the future and provides the best care for patients seven days a week.”
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