Category: NHS workforce plan

Getting pay right is key to turning around NHS fortunes, says UNISON

Commenting on the National Audit Office report on the NHS long-term workforce plan, UNISON head of health Helga Pile said today (Friday):

“Simply having a plan isn’t going to be enough on its own to turn the staffing crisis around. Wishful thinking won’t get the NHS very far either.

“The assumption that overseas staff will want to keep coming here to fill the gaps in the workforce is wildly optimistic. Especially given the increasingly hostile environment fostered by the government.

“Getting pay right is key to turning around the fortunes of the NHS, its staff and patients, and slashing the backlog too. Ensuring decent wages, manageable workloads, workplaces that are free of harassment and discrimination, and truly flexible jobs is what will make a huge difference. Experienced staff will then be more likely to stay and recruitment rates soar.

“But when it comes to pay, ministers are already failing. NHS staff should be getting this year’s wage rise in less than two weeks. They won’t though, because the government’s chosen the lengthy review body process over direct talks with health unions.

“Unless there’s a new approach to staff wages, much of the workforce plan will remain pie-in-the-sky thinking.”

Notes to editors:– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.ukAnthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article Getting pay right is key to turning around NHS fortunes, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Getting pay right is key to turning around NHS fortunes, says UNISON

Commenting on the National Audit Office report on the NHS long-term workforce plan, UNISON head of health Helga Pile said today (Friday):

“Simply having a plan isn’t going to be enough on its own to turn the staffing crisis around. Wishful thinking won’t get the NHS very far either.

“The assumption that overseas staff will want to keep coming here to fill the gaps in the workforce is wildly optimistic. Especially given the increasingly hostile environment fostered by the government.

“Getting pay right is key to turning around the fortunes of the NHS, its staff and patients, and slashing the backlog too. Ensuring decent wages, manageable workloads, workplaces that are free of harassment and discrimination, and truly flexible jobs is what will make a huge difference. Experienced staff will then be more likely to stay and recruitment rates soar.

“But when it comes to pay, ministers are already failing. NHS staff should be getting this year’s wage rise in less than two weeks. They won’t though, because the government’s chosen the lengthy review body process over direct talks with health unions.

“Unless there’s a new approach to staff wages, much of the workforce plan will remain pie-in-the-sky thinking.”

Notes to editors:– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.ukAnthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article Getting pay right is key to turning around NHS fortunes, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Fix for NHS pay must be ‘at heart’ of any workforce solution, says UNISON 

Commenting on the publication of the NHS workforce plan, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:

“At long last there is a plan. Now everyone committed to making the NHS thrive again can focus on the challenge of filling the huge gaps in the workforce.

“Action on retention is key. There are simply too few staff across all jobs and services. That makes it difficult for the NHS to function as a modern health system.

“Finding a fix for pay must lie at the heart of any solution. The pay review body process no longer works.

“A new way to ensure competitive wage rises, that are paid to staff on time, is essential if there is to be an end to the industrial unrest plaguing the NHS.

“Plans to recruit more doctors and nurses cannot ignore the desperate NHS shortage of porters, cleaners, 999 call handlers and other support roles. Staff in non-clinical jobs are most at risk of being lost from the NHS for better paid, less stressful jobs elsewhere.

“The absence of proposals to mend social care is perhaps the biggest gap. Without action to fix care, the NHS will have to go on picking up the pieces of that broken system. There must be a national care service that mirrors the NHS.

“Increasing apprenticeships and nursing associate numbers are important aims as is growing the domestic workforce. They must be backed up with proper funding and infrastructure support.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union and the largest union in the NHS and in the ambulance sector, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:

Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk

The article Fix for NHS pay must be ‘at heart’ of any workforce solution, says UNISON  first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Fix for NHS pay must be ‘at heart’ of any workforce solution, says UNISON 

Commenting on the publication of the NHS workforce plan, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:

“At long last there is a plan. Now everyone committed to making the NHS thrive again can focus on the challenge of filling the huge gaps in the workforce.

“Action on retention is key. There are simply too few staff across all jobs and services. That makes it difficult for the NHS to function as a modern health system.

“Finding a fix for pay must lie at the heart of any solution. The pay review body process no longer works.

“A new way to ensure competitive wage rises, that are paid to staff on time, is essential if there is to be an end to the industrial unrest plaguing the NHS.

“Plans to recruit more doctors and nurses cannot ignore the desperate NHS shortage of porters, cleaners, 999 call handlers and other support roles. Staff in non-clinical jobs are most at risk of being lost from the NHS for better paid, less stressful jobs elsewhere.

“The absence of proposals to mend social care is perhaps the biggest gap. Without action to fix care, the NHS will have to go on picking up the pieces of that broken system. There must be a national care service that mirrors the NHS.

“Increasing apprenticeships and nursing associate numbers are important aims as is growing the domestic workforce. They must be backed up with proper funding and infrastructure support.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union and the largest union in the NHS and in the ambulance sector, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:

Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk

The article Fix for NHS pay must be ‘at heart’ of any workforce solution, says UNISON  first appeared on the UNISON National site.