NHS pay process needs fundamental reset, says UNISON

Commenting on the health secretary’s announcement today (Tuesday) that there’s to be a re-assessment of the NHS pay review body process*, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Without fundamental change, the government risks sleepwalking into a disastrous repeat of the shambolic way ministers handled the two most recent pay rounds. “The pay review body belongs to a different time. It exists in a vacuum, and that no longer works. A more relevant, modern approach to setting pay in the NHS is long overdue. “Pay and staffing issues must be considered together. Wages are the critical lever governments should pull to keep hold of enough experienced staff to deliver quality patient care, prevent staff burnout and attract new recruits. “Pay should not be considered in isolation. The review body process has not kept up with devolution either. It’s been unable to prevent NHS staff in Northern Ireland being left behind in the last two pay rounds. “Thousands of NHS workers had to go on strike this year, losing wages they could ill afford because the pay-setting process isn’t fit for purpose. “Had ministers listened to unions, months of unnecessary disruption to the NHS could have been avoided. “For too long the government insisted the NHS pay review body was the only show in town. “Yet when ministers finally agreed to pay talks involving all the unions, intensive efforts produced results in d...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: News Press release Christina McAnea nhs pay Source Type: news