1. The NHS National Plan for England This 140 page document was published last week together with the Government's response to the Royal Commission on Long Term Care.
Many representatives will have seen the NHS Plan or the tabloid summary widely circulating. We strongly recommend that representatives read the full Plan which should be available from your HR Director or can be run off from www.nhs.uk/nationalplan.
MSF is drafting a detailed response to the Plan and a Work Plan to enable us to address the key initiatives. Although the Plan is for England only, there is no doubt that many of the ideas will be rolled out elsewhere.
There are some excellent initiatives within the Plan, which the increased resources should help make achievable.
There are however several key issues for MSF to consider carefully:
- the failure to ensure Social Partnership and the involvement of trade unions in the relevant initiatives being developed
- the potential blurring of the boundary between the public and private health sectors and the continued expansion of PFI
- the failure to link pay initiatives - announced here with the Agenda for Change pay talks - especially in respect of bonuses and PRP and the different treatment under the consultants contract proposals
- the implications of a radical expansion of PMS schemes in primary care
- the low profile of public health and prevention
- the questionable changes in public accountability whereby instead of strengthening Community Health Council's, they have been abolished without warning
- the ambitious nature of planned improvements in services and medical and some nursing staffing without any mention of the need to accordingly increase scientific and technical staffing
- the optimistic assumptions about what IT can achieve
- the tremendous pressure on changing roles and more flexible services and working patterns, without it being clear how these match up with family friendly policies
- a great emphasis on primary care being GP led
- new Care Trusts linking health and social services
- the decision to make nursing care for older people free but not personal care, contrary to the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Long Term Care
No more detail on the various initiatives will be available until the Autumn when the newly formed Modernisation Board will agree and publish a detailed plan for the implementation of the NHS Plan.
Until then local representatives and staff should not engage in discussions about any specific initiatives within the Plan except those that have been fully published nationally. For any of these proposals we will be seeking to ensure their consideration is underpinned locally by:
- Social Partnership and involvement of trade unions fully from the start, in all initiatives.
- Openness and transparency in all developments
- Equality proofing of all arrangements
- Funding for sufficient appropriately trained staff working to agreed, safe protocols
We will be producing our own national Work Plan to respond to the NHS Plan with advice on how Local Work Plans can be developed together with the necessary time off, cover, training and facilities to respond adequately.
We will also be making specific responses to initiatives affecting particular occupations or services.
2. GE/Maquete One of our senior representatives in Medical Engineering at the Royal Preston Hospital has heard that the above organisation has tendered under market testing provisions to take over jobs in the electronics area at the hospital.
He believes this arrangement is already in place in a number of other hospitals, but does not know their names or location.
He is obviously keen to make contact with reps in these hospitals in order to benefit from any experience they may of had when this company took over.
Please write in the first instance to Mick Coyne, MSF North West North Regional Centre, 3 Acton Square, Salford, Manchester, M5 4NY or by phone on 0161 745 7300 or on e-mail via mcgraws@msf.org.uk . Copy any correspondence to Colin Adkins at the Health Section Office.
3. NHS Mileage Rates Progress has at last been made on the contentious issue of mileage allowances. MSF/CPHVA has consistently sought to raise mileage rates for the last couple of years, ever since the AA rate overtook the NHS rates. After two years of seeking to get an increased offer, management finally put forward an 'interim' offer on Monday 17th July, coincidentally after the CPHVA launched its campaign. Well done to all members who raised this matter with their local manager.
Unfortunately, the increase was for 4p a mile backdated to 1st July 2000, well below what we said was necessary. The CPHVA rejected the offer. However, the deal was accepted by other organisations prior to any thorough consultation possibly taking place. We had two concerns.
Firstly, the offer is not large enough to compensate for the rise in petrol prices. Secondly, there are a range of other issues on cars which need sorting out (such as lease car arrangements) which cannot wait any longer and which could slip indefinitely unless we have an assurance that agreeing a mileage rate won't put off forever the other issues.
Therefore, we need to keep up the pressure to bring forward further improvements in the near future. MSF, CPHVA and the CPNA have combined together to launch a 'Deals on Wheels' campaign. Ring the 'Deals on Wheels' hotline 020 7939 7043 for a campaign pack.
Schedule of allowances
Regular User Allowance
| |
Lump Sum |
Up to 9000 Miles |
Above 9000 Miles (Thereafter) |
| 501-1000cc |
| Old rate |
£508 |
24.1 |
14.1 |
| New rate |
£508 |
27.0 |
16.2 |
| 1001-1500cc |
| Old rate |
£626 |
29.0 |
15.5 |
| New rate |
£626 |
33.5 |
18.3 |
| Over 1500cc |
| Old rate |
£760 |
35.3 |
17.9 |
| New rate |
£760 |
40.0 |
20.5 |
Standard rates
| |
Up to 3500 miles |
Over 3500 miles (Thereafter) |
| 501-1000cc |
| Old rate |
32.1 |
14.1 |
| New rate |
34.0 |
16.2 |
| 1001-1500cc |
| Old rate |
39.8 |
15.5 |
| New rate |
43.0 |
18.3 |
| Over-1500cc |
| Old rate |
49.3 |
17.9 |
| New rate |
53.0 |
20.5 |
4. SURVEY OF PHLEBOTOMISTS The issue of an appropriate salary rate for these key skilled staff is now being raised in a number of Trusts. According to our understanding there is no standard grade or scale point on which these colleagues are placed. We are now seeking information on the following:
On what grade are phlebotomists placed (Please circle all appropriate)?
MLA / MTO / MLSO / Other (Please supply further details below)
On what grade point or grade range are phlebotomists placed?
Who manages or supervises phlebotomists and which grade are they on?
Please return information by fax to Colin Adkins, Health Section Research Officer on 020 7403 2979 or by e-mail on adkinsc@msf.org.uk.
5. Holiday pay Under the Working Time Directive Employers are now beginning to reach agreement on the payment of holiday pay under the Working Time Directive. The Health Section Office wishes to monitor the progress of these agreements in order to promote best practice. Would you therefore please complete the attached survey to the best of your ability.
HOLIDAY PAY UNDER THE WORKING TIME DIRECTIVE
Agreement Reporting Form
Name:
Trust/Employer:
Scope of agreement (professions/occupation covered - if all please state):
Contact for further information:
Phone: Fax: E-mail:
Please indicate whether the following enhancements to basic pay are included in the calculation of holiday pay under the Working Time Directive in your agreement by placing a tick in the relevant box.
| ENHANCEMENT |
PAID |
NOT PAID |
NOT APPLICABLE |
| A&C allowance |
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| A&C shift allowance
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| Acting up
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Additional hours worked as part of planned service provision whether formally contractual or not including:
- On call
- Stand by Payments
- Sleeping in Payments
- Calls to Labour / Work done
- Overtime or Excess hours
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| Bank Working
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| Basic pay
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| Bonus
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| Enhancements (Public Holidays)
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| Enhancements (Weekday/Weekends)
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| Essential Car User
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| Flexible Pay Supplement
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| Gen Mgr Geog Allowance
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| Geriatric Lead
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| Laundry
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| Local Pay Supplements
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| London Weighting
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| Millennium Shift Payments
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| MUFTI
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| Other Permanent Allowances
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| PRP Percentage
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| Psychiatric Lead Payments
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| Radiation Protection Supervisor
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| Resident Pharmacist Payments
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| Responsibility Allowances
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| Special Allowances
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| Student Training
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| Uniform
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Please return to Colin Adkins, MSF Health Section Research Officer, 40 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3UD attaching a copy of the agreement or fax to 0207 403 2979.