This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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NHS pay modernisation gets go-ahead
11/06/2003
Representatives of unions, employers and the UK Health
Departments today approved the start of full-scale testing
of the new Agenda for Change pay system in 12 early
implementer sites in England, with pilot sites following in
Scotland.
This follows publication of the results of union ballots
showing strong support for the proposals among union
members.
In a statement, unions, managers and UK health
departments said:
"Modernising the NHS pay system is important, not only
to ensure staff are rewarded fairly for what they do, but
to help deliver fast, modern services for patients. Today
we have taken one more step forward. There is much still to
do. We will continue to support, encourage and promote a
partnership approach to early implementation in all the
selected sites. This will include monitoring progress and
working constructively with them to resolve any
issues."
The Minister for Health and Community Care, Mr Malcolm
Chisholm said:
"This is a good outcome for the NHS, for NHS patients
and for over 120,000 NHSScotland staff. I should like to
pay tribute to the NHS trades unions who have worked so
hard to explain the new system to NHS staff. This is the
product of four years of effective partnership working and
some tough negotiations. It is a historic achievement.
"Agenda for Change will help to bring teams of NHS staff
closer together by harmonising conditions of service and
breaking down old-style demarcations. It will provide a
fair pay system based on a national job evaluation scheme
purposely designed to meet the needs of the NHS. It will
provide better links between pay and career progression,
using the new NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework."
"These new tools will provide clearer career paths and
better targeted training, enabling more staff to develop
their skills and roles. All this means a more transparent
system, more varied and stimulating jobs for NHS staff and
a better deal for patients and their care."
Agenda for Change was negotiated by staff and management
sides working in partnership. The application of all
aspects of the new pay system will now be tested in pilot
sites in Scotland, which will complement the work to be
undertaken in early implementer sites in England.
The Agenda for Change reform package includes a 10%
basic pay increase over three years for all staff. When the
costs of the reform package are added in over the
three-year period from 2003/04 to 2005/06, it will be worth
an average increase of 12.5% on basic pay.
Negotiations on the new pay system were concluded in
November 2002. The trades unions began consulting with
their members earlier this year. National roll-out is
planned to start in October 2004.