1. Agenda For ChangeProper negotiations on the new package of agreements under Agenda for Change will not take place until the Health Departments are advised by the Government of available funding to pay for the reform following the Comprehensive Spending Review which will probably take place in July 2002. Ministers also wish to negotiate a partnership agreement as part of the proposals and review implementation. The Staff Side now estimates that as a result the whole process is likely to be delayed, with the first implementation in October or November 2002. This does give us the opportunity for ensuring the evaluation process is more complete by the time of implementation. The Staff Side obtained the following clarifications: The Government is still committed to AFC and willing to make the necessary investment. The Government realises that further delay would damage the initiative's credibility.
Proper negotiations on the new package of agreements under Agenda for Change will not take place until the Health Departments are advised by the Government of available funding to pay for the reform following the Comprehensive Spending Review which will probably take place in July 2002. Ministers also wish to negotiate a partnership agreement as part of the proposals and review implementation.
The Staff Side now estimates that as a result the whole process is likely to be delayed, with the first implementation in October or November 2002. This does give us the opportunity for ensuring the evaluation process is more complete by the time of implementation. The Staff Side obtained the following clarifications:
2. Local Pay Agreement – Medical Laboratory Assistants and Phlebotomists
Discussions at a South of England Trust on the introduction of a new grade and pay structure for all staff who are currently graded either Medical Laboratory Assistant or Assistant Technical Officer (employed in the Laboratory Medicine and Clinical Sciences Directorate) have resulted in significant improvements that will assist Recruitment and Retention. The main aspects of the proposal were as follows:- That staff transferred to a new common grade with the salary scale points as detailed below. Minimum £11204.00 £11633.00 £12070.00 £12551.00 £13053.00 Star Points£13575.00* £14119.00** £14687.00*** All staff will transfer to an appropriate point on the scale, which gives at least a 12% pay rise. Staff will also retain their original incremental date. Any staff who had been awarded responsibility star points retain those on the new grade. On their incremental date staff will progress to the next point on their pay scale until they reach the top. MSF calculates that this will give all staff on this grade the opportunity to gain, over time, at least a further 8% pay increase. All changes took effect retrospectively to the 1st September 2001. It was further proposed that job descriptions for Medical Laboratory Assistants be revisited with a view to updating them and establishing a new job title of Medical Laboratory Support. Colleagues in the Phlebotomy Department will retain their job titles as now.
Colleagues currently employed on the Senior Assistant Technical Officer pay scale and the MTO1 pay scale shall be seen on an individual basis with a view to assessing the impact of these changes on pay relativities.
3. NHS Staff (Child Care)
Reps may be interested in the following response to a Parliamentary Question tabled on the 16th October 2001.
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to improve childcare for NHS staff.
Mr. Button: The NHS Childcare Strategy centres on providing good quality accessible and affordable childcare. We are already making available funding of over £70 million for the provision of 150 additional on-site nurseries by 2004, creating around 7,500 further nursery places. We have also pledged a further £100 million to develop alternative forms of childcare.
4. Advance Letters
Two important Advance Letters are now on the Department of Health website. See www.doh.gov.uk/publications/coinh.html.
The first is under the Professional and Technical Staffs B (PTB) Whitley Council (Advanced Letter (PTB) 2/2001) and covers the Advanced Biomedical Scientist Practitioner in Cervical Cytology.
The second is under Professions Allied to Medicine PT'A' Whitley Council (Advanced Letter PAM(PTA) 2/2001 and covers PAMs Consultants.
5. Pathology Modernisation
A circular (See DoH Website www.doh.gov.uk/pathologymodernisation) has been sent out to a number of twelve health economies (see below) as part of the Pathology Modernisation Programme.
The circular is seeking a number of tenders for pathology modernisation funds of £8m. It is envisaged that this will fund four pilot projects with the aim of 'rationalising and reconfiguring' pathology services. Further, according to the circular 'bids including private sector partners are welcome'.
Whilst we are aware that this development was due to take place, the precipitous nature of the circular with short-term around time for tenders is a matter of concern. The positive extolling of the involvement of the private sector when it was agreed that a variety of models including a public model compounds these concerns.
We have asked each MSF Lead Officer responsible for the health economies concerned to make an immediate intervention via the Regional office and local trust management seeking prior and meaningful consultation under partnership before any tender is put forward. We want to outline the case for the reconfiguring of pathology services in the public sector prior to any tender involving the private sector is considered.
MSF is meeting the department to discuss the issues involved in the context of our opposition to PPP but needing to protect our members.
We ask local representatives to also make immediate enquiries to discover whether their trust will be part of a consortium tendering for Modernisation monies. Please notify Colin Adkins at adkinsc@msf.org.uk or 0207 505 3167 as soon as you discover any information