Category: Put NHS pay right

Rolling report: #PutNHSpayright

09:25am After health secretary Steve Barclay used an article in today’s Daily Telegraph to state that: “We now know that the NHS contingency plans will not cover all 999 calls. Ambulance unions have made a conscious choice to inflict harm on patients”, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea and assistant general secretary Jon Richards responded in shock at the claims.

Screengrab of tweet from Christina McAnea

Screen grabs of tweets by Christina McAnea and Jon Richards

Ms McAnea, speaking on Good Morning Britain, described the claims as “utterly untrue”.

09:05am There are strict laws on picketing during industrial action and the union could be heavily fined if these are broken.

But there are plenty of way in which non-striking members and any other supporters can show their solidarity with strikers today.

Check here to find out more

If you’re following events on Twitter, make sure to check @unisontheunion and @cmcanea. And if you yourself are tweeting, please use the hashtag #PutNHSpayright.

08:55am Good morning all. As UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea tweeted last night, today’s strikes are going ahead. “I had hoped the government would move on pay, to get this dispute resolved, but their position is still fixed. We have no option but to continue with our strike action and consider more action in January.”

So, at 7.30am this morning, “nurses, porters, HCAs, cleaners and other NHS staff at the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital and Royal Liverpool University Hospital took brave action and started their 24hr strike over pay and staffing,” continued Ms McAnea.

We will be updating this rolling report throughout the day, so check back to find out what’s going on.

The article Rolling report: #PutNHSpayright first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Supporting NHS members on strike

The clock is ticking down to the start of strike action tomorrow involving UNISON members in the ambulance service in five regions in England, together with staff at two hospitals in Liverpool. 

There are legal provisions and a statutory code of practice around who can picket and how pickets are run. Members may only lawfully picket at or near their own place of work and the union could be sued if any members engaged in unlawful picketing.

In the case of ambulance strikes, branches will be managing the need to safely dispatch ambulances from picket lines under agreed life-and-limb exemptions.

It’s important to make sure legal requirements and patient safety are maintained, and UNISON regional offices will be working with striking branches to manage invitations and arrangements for visitors to their pickets.

However, there is plenty that non-striking members and supporters can do to show solidarity.

The article Supporting NHS members on strike first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Start talking to avert health strikes later this month

Ambulance crews working for five services in England – London, Yorkshire, the North West, North East and South West – are to go on strike over pay and staffing on Wednesday 21 December, says their union UNISON today (Tuesday).

The pre-Christmas date coincides with action being planned by two other unions – GMB and Unite – with members in ambulances services in England.

The UNISON strike involving paramedics, emergency care assistants, ambulance technicians and other 999 crew members will run from midday to midnight.

The ambulance workers are to be joined by nurses, porters, healthcare assistants, cleaners and other NHS workers at two Liverpool hospitals, who will also take action that day.

The strike at the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital and Liverpool University Hospital starts at 07.30 on Wednesday 21 December and ends 24 hours later.

UNISON is also about to begin reballoting around 13,000 NHS staff working for ten trusts and ambulance services where turnout in the recent strike vote fell just short of the threshold required by law.

These ten NHS employers include all the remaining ambulance services in England – West Midlands, East Midlands, East of England, South East Coast and South Central.

In addition, staff working at Great Ormond Street Hospital, Liverpool Women’s Hospital, London’s Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust and the North West-based Bridgewater Community Trust are being asked again to vote for strike action. UNISON members at NHS Blood and Transplant are also being reballoted.

Commenting on the pre-Christmas strike, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said: “The government will only have itself to blame if there are strikes in the NHS before Christmas.

“Ambulance staff and their health colleagues don’t want to inconvenience anyone. But ministers are refusing to do the one thing that could prevent disruption – that’s start genuine talks about pay.

“Wages are too low to stop health workers quitting the NHS. As more and more hand in their notice, there are fewer staff left to care for patients. The public knows that’s the reason behind lengthy waits at A&E, growing ambulance delays, postponed operations and cancelled clinics.

“Threatened NHS strikes in Scotland were called off because ministers there understand higher wages and improved staffing levels go hand in hand. Unfortunately, the penny’s yet to drop for the Westminster government.”

Senior managers in the five ambulance services and two NHS trusts are due to receive formal notification of the strike and will draw up emergency cover plans to put to the unions taking action.

Notes to editors:
– GMB members working for the following ambulance services – South West, South East Coast, North West, South Central, North East, East Midlands, West Midlands, Yorkshire and Wales – are also taking action on Wednesday 21 December. Unite is due to take out its members the same day at three English ambulance services in the North West, North East and West Midlands.
-Health workers belonging to UNISON and working in Northern Ireland have already voted to take action over pay and staffing. Yesterday (Monday), NHS staff began taking what is known as action short of a strike. This means working to their contracts, ending their shifts on time and refusing overtime. This continues until next Monday (12 December) when they’ll then be striking for the day. In Scotland, UNISON is recommending its NHS members vote to accept the latest offer from Holyrood, which will see a £2,205 increase for the lowest paid staff, and more for those on higher bands. That vote also closes next Monday. In Wales, UNISON members working for the Welsh Ambulance Service are also to be reballoted. The start date for this, and for the plans to reballot staff at ten NHS employers in England, are to be confirmed.
-In July the government in Westminster announced most NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts (NHS terms and conditions) in England would get a pay rise of £1,400, in line with the recommendation of the NHS pay review body. This amounted to a 4.75% increase to the NHS pay bill. Health workers had been due a wage rise on 1 April. Health workers in Wales got the same award. The health minister in Northern Ireland said he wanted to implement this award but could not do so due to the political stalemate. This means NHS workers there have still had no pay rise at all.
-UNISON and most other health unions had called for an above-inflation pay rise in their submission to this year’s NHS pay review body.

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

The article Start talking to avert health strikes later this month first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Workforce plan and proper pay rise vital to secure NHS future, says UNISON

Commenting on the speech today (Wednesday) by NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard to the NHS Providers conference in Liverpool, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said: 

“Without skilled, experienced staff, there is no NHS. Vacancies have now reached intolerable levels and there’s no cure in sight. 

“It’s vital the government gets behind a proper workforce plan before it’s too late. The focus should be on permanent jobs rather than patching up the system with expensive agency staff.

“But the first step to getting the NHS back on its feet is to boost health workers’ pay immediately. It’s the critical first step to stop talent and experience draining away and leaving patients unable to get the care they deserve.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is currently balloting health staff working for more than 250 NHS employers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland over pay. That vote closes in Northern Ireland on Friday (18 November), and next Friday (25 November) in England and Wales. UNISON members in Scotland have voted to reject the latest pay offer from the Scottish government. 
– UNISON and most other health unions had called for an above-inflation pay rise in their submission to the NHS pay review body.
– In July, the government in Westminster announced that most NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts (NHS terms and conditions) in England would get a pay rise of £1,400, in line with the recommendation of the NHS pay review body. This amounted to a 4.75% increase to the NHS pay bill. Health workers had been due a wage rise on 1 April 2022. Health workers in Wales got the same award. The health minister in Northern Ireland said he wanted to implement the same award but could not do so due to the political stalemate, so NHS workers there have had no pay rise at all.
– 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 contact:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article Workforce plan and proper pay rise vital to secure NHS future, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Government must focus on sorting NHS pay now, says UNISON

Commenting on the news today (Wednesday) that the government has begun the NHS pay review body process for 2023-24, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:

“Ministers should be concerned with putting NHS pay right now, not trying to distract unions with the long, drawn-out evidence-gathering process of the pay review body.

“Staff are exiting in droves and without urgent movement on pay, many more will follow suit.

“NHS services are in a dire state, with too few staff to deliver safe patient care. That’s why hundreds of thousands of NHS employees have either voted to strike over pay and staffing, or are currently doing so.

“Rather than pretending the NHS isn’t on the verge of a damaging dispute, the government’s focus should be on how to keep experienced staff in their jobs. They can do this with a wage rise that better reflects the harsh economic reality for working people.”

Notes to editors:
– In July, the government in Westminster announced that most NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts (NHS terms and conditions) in England would get a pay rise of £1,400, in line with the recommendation of the NHS pay review body. This amounted to a 4.75% increase to the NHS pay bill. Health workers had been due a wage rise on 1 April 2022. Health workers in Wales got the same award. The health minister in Northern Ireland said he wanted to implement the same award but couldn’t because of the political stalemate, so NHS workers there have had no pay rise at all. 
–  UNISON’s ballot of health staff working for more than 250 NHS employers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland launched on 25 October. That vote closes in Northern Ireland on Friday (18 November), and next Friday (25 November) in England and Wales. UNISON members in Scotland have voted to reject the latest pay offer from the Scottish government.
– UNISON and most other health unions had called for an above-inflation pay rise in their submission to the NHS pay review body. Other unions either with a live strike mandate or balloting or for industrial action in the NHS include the Royal College of Nursing, Royal College of Midwives, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, GMB and Unite.
– To achieve a legal strike ballot, UK law requires unions to jump a variety of hurdles. In addition to requiring 50% of the workers being balloted to participate in any vote, the law demands that in very important public services, like many parts of the NHS, 40% of those sent ballot papers must vote yes. Unions are also unable to conduct strike ballots electronically. All ballot papers must be sent out in the mail and returned by post.
– 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 contact:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk

The article Government must focus on sorting NHS pay now, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Government must act urgently on NHS pay to bring record waiting times down

Commenting on new figures published today (Thursday) showing waiting lists for routine treatment in England have hit a new record high, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:

“Now’s not the time to be sick or injured. Under this government’s watch, the NHS is experiencing the worst crisis in its 74-year history.

“Health service managers are increasingly frustrated that there’s nothing they can do to slow the tide of staff heading to the doors.

“As a matter of urgency, the government must rethink its inadequate pay award and top it up to prevent more experienced staff leaving for better paid jobs.

“Only then will there be any hope of waiting lists coming down and people getting the treatment and care they deserve.”

Notes to editors:
– The ballot of NHS staff in England and Wales opens on 27 October and closes on 25 November. The Northern Ireland strike ballot opens the same day but closes on 18 November. A ballot of health staff in Scotland began on Monday (3 October) and continues until 31 October. In all over 400,000 NHS staff will be asked to vote.
– 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.

The article Government must act urgently on NHS pay to bring record waiting times down first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Pledge Yes for the NHS

UNISON has launched the next stage of its NHS pay campaign, which is urging members to Pledge Yes for the NHS.

The campaign follows the government’s imposition of a £1,400 pay increase on NHS workers in England.

UNISON says the award is nowhere near enough to keep pace with rising prices, is nowhere near what’s needed to improve staffing and protect patient care, and will only worsen the current NHS staffing crisis.

Since the pay announcement on 19 July, the government has refused to negotiate with unions. As a result, UNISON’s health service group executive agreed that the only effective way to challenge the pay award is through a formal industrial action ballot which will open in late October.

In the meantime, the union is encouraging its NHS members to get active, visit the website and ‘pledge yes’ to voting for industrial action in October.

Pledge Yes here

Speaking of the campaign, UNISON’s head of health Sara Gorton said: “It is a challenge, but now is the time to take this on. We’re in the biggest cost of living and NHS staffing crisis in history.

“We’ve seen other parts of UNISON, and other unions across our movement, beat anti-trade union laws and deliver effective action. We can too – with hard work and the backing of our members, this is a fight we can win.”

Share the campaign video

The article Pledge Yes for the NHS first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Ridiculous pay plans would have spelt total disaster for the NHS, says UNISON

Commenting on reports today (Tuesday) that Conservative Party leadership contender Liz Truss has backed down on plans to cut the pay of public servants across the UK, UNISON deputy head of health Helga Pile said:

“The NHS is in the depths of the biggest staffing crisis it’s ever faced. Last month’s below-inflation pay award isn’t enough to stop experienced health workers from leaving a service that’s on the edge. This ridiculous policy would have spelt total disaster.

“Rather than make ill thought-out promises to appeal to Conservative party members, candidates should be thinking about what’s best for the country, the NHS and its patients.

“Cutting the wages of nurses, porters, paramedics and healthcare assistants in parts of the UK would have been the stuff of nightmares. Staff would simply have left for other hospitals paying better wages, or gone to work in other sectors, creating yet more chaos for struggling services.

“This sorry episode only serves to deepen the despair of staff battling to care for patients in horrendous conditions. That those vying to be PM were even thinking about slashing pay will be a huge blow to morale.

“The problems facing the health service need tackling from a national perspective. The starting point must be a reset on wages to an award that cushions staff against rising prices and helps the NHS boost its workforce so it can deliver for the millions awaiting treatment.”

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.uk

The article Ridiculous pay plans would have spelt total disaster for the NHS, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Delayed, disappointing pay rise will leave staff considering their futures, say health unions

Health unions representing more than a million NHS staff in England have ?reacted with dismay to the NHS pay rise of £1,400 announced today (Tuesday) by the government.

UNISON head of health and chair of the ?NHS group of unions Sara Gorton said: “This is nowhere ?near what’s needed to save the NHS.

“Demoralised ?and depleted health workers needed to know that ministers are serious about solving the staffing crisis and investing in the future. The way to do that was through a significant pay award.

“With the pandemic barely behind us and the growing cost-of-living catastrophe, NHS staff, their bank accounts ?and health services are all running on empty.

“The government’s shown it’s prepared to sit by and watch waiting lists grow, ambulance call times ?lengthen and patient suffering increase.

“Many will be seriously considering industrial action after this pitiful increase and a majority of the public will be behind them.

?”Ministers can’t continue to allow wages to fall and expect staff still ?to be there. The simple formula for recruiting and retaining enough staff to tackle the treatment backlog ?and avoiding a damaging dispute is to ensure NHS workers have a decent pay rise. ?This isn’t it.”

Assistant director at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and secretary of the ?NHS group of unions Elaine Sparkes said: “NHS workers have made it clear that a pay award like this is nowhere near enough in the current climate, being substantially less than the current and predicted level of inflation.

“We’ve told the government that – as have tens of thousands of people who took to the streets last month demanding a fair deal for workers.

“But still it presses on with an award that will cut the real value of take home pay for ?health staff and potentially put patient care at risk as the workforce crisis in the NHS deepens.

“Health unions will now consult members on what action they wish to take to ensure the extraordinary efforts of NHS staff are fairly rewarded.”

Notes to editors:
– The 13 NHS unions are: British Association of Occupational Therapists, British Dietetic Association, British Orthoptic Society, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, Royal College of Podiatry, Federation of Clinical Scientists, GMB, Managers in Partnership, Prison Officers Association, Royal College of Midwives, Society of Radiographers, UNISON and Unite.
– Health workers were due a pay rise on 1 April 2022 after their previous one-year deal expired. This award is for NHS staff in England.
– The health unions had called for an above-inflation pay rise in their submission to the NHS pay review body. The government had proposed a 3% increase.
– All NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts (NHS terms and conditions) in England will get a consolidated pay rise of £1,400. This package amounts to a 4.75% increase to the NHS Agenda For Change pay bill.

The article Delayed, disappointing pay rise will leave staff considering their futures, say health unions first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Public wants government to deliver an above-inflation wage rise for NHS staff, poll shows

More than half (55%) the public believe that an above-inflation pay rise for NHS staff of more than 9% would be a fair increase, according to a Savanta ComRes poll published today (Monday).

The research on behalf of 13 of the UK’s health unions – between them representing around a million NHS staff – shows this compares with just over a quarter (28%) of people who say a below-inflation rise would be fair. Seven in ten (69%) back a wage increase of more than 5%.

Almost three in five (58%) UK adults believe health workers would be justified in taking industrial action if the government pay award in England is below inflation, according to the findings.

This compares with 29% of people who say NHS staff would not have grounds for taking strike action if there is a below-inflation pay award.

The health unions believe the results show people want the Prime Minister to commit to a significant wage increase for all healthcare staff including nurses, physiotherapists, radiographers, midwives, cleaners, porters, paramedics, dieticians and administrators as living costs soar.

The survey of more than 2,000 people shows the vast majority agree fair wages are crucial in tackling the NHS staffing crisis, which is a major factor in growing waiting lists, ambulance delays and patient care overall.

More than four in five (85%) adults agree that decent pay is essential to health workers staying in the NHS and to patient care improving.

A similar proportion also agree that the government should be doing more to stop health staff leaving the NHS (84%) – and that waiting lists will grow, and delays lengthen – without government action on NHS staffing (84%). More than four in five (83%) agree resolving staffing problems should be the top NHS priority for the government.

UNISON head of health and chair of the NHS group of unions Sara Gorton said: “The prime-ministerial merry-go-round and government delays shouldn’t stop a wage rise for staff. Health workers struggling to pay bills have been waiting months for the increase they should have received back in the spring.

“The public clearly supports an above-inflation pay rise across the NHS. People say they would also be behind NHS staff should they opt for strike action if a decent increase isn’t forthcoming. Ministers must act now rather than stumble into a dispute no-one wants to see.

“The government must find the money needed or risk worsening the current staffing crisis and ?lengthening test and treatment waits for patients.”

Chartered Society of Physiotherapy assistant director and secretary of the NHS group of unions Elaine Sparkes said: “The NHS has a workforce crisis, and it is unthinkable that the government could be considering making this worse through a pay rise that falls far below inflation.

“That would cause further staff to leave and place ever-greater strain on those who remain, while increasing waiting times for patients.

“The government must step up with an above-inflation pay rise that helps recruit, and most importantly retain, the workforce patients desperately need.”

Notes to editors: 
– The poll was carried out by Savanta ComRes who surveyed 2,073 UK adults between 1 and 3 July 2022. Data were weighted to be demographically representative of all UK adults. Savanta ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Full tables are available here.
– Case studies (names have been changed):
Sarah, an NHS community phlebotomist in the North West, said: “This is the best job I’ve ever had but I can’t afford to stay. Fuel costs have risen at least a third. I’ve had to choose to spend on fuel for work instead of driving to visit my disabled parents. It’s a terrible decision to make but I have to keep earning. I may have to return to bank work in A&E because I’d only be paying parking charges. My job involves doing blood tests that determine what drugs people with cancer and other life-threatening conditions should be taking. Patients will suffer because the NHS won’t be able to retain staff.”
Louise, a healthcare assistant in Yorkshire and Humberside, said: “I’m paid just above the minimum wage after 21 years in the NHS. I’m at the top of my pay band so can’t earn more unless there’s a wage rise. My monthly shop has doubled in cost, and energy bills are the highest ever. Yet my salary isn’t keeping up. I work day and night shifts in a labour ward and am now on anti-depressants to get through the long hours. I’ve been thinking about retirement but can’t afford to. I’ll have to work until I drop.”
James, a care support worker in the West Midlands, said: “Childcare costs are so unaffordable that my wife does nights on an acute ward while I work days in mental health care. We rely on her unsocial hours payments to make ends meet and had to change our car for a smaller one to reduce petrol costs. We think about everything we buy despite both having jobs. Pay hasn’t progressed enough to ensure we can afford to live. I sometimes wonder if I’d be better off stacking supermarket shelves.”
– Health workers were due a pay rise at the beginning of April but are still waiting. The government’s evidence to the NHS pay review body (PRB) proposed a ?maximum pay rise of 3% this year for health workers in England. The Prime Minister has not yet disclosed the PRB recommendations. Unions are hoping there will be an announcement before Parliament breaks up for its summer recess next week.
– The 13 NHS unions ?representing staff on Agenda for Change terms ?who commissioned the polling are: British Association of Occupational Therapists, British Dietetic Association, British Orthoptic Society, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, College of Podiatry, Federation of Clinical Scientists, GMB, Managers in Partnership, Prison Officers Association, Royal College of Midwives, Society of Radiographers, UNISON, and Unite.

The article Public wants government to deliver an above-inflation wage rise for NHS staff, poll shows first appeared on the UNISON National site.