The Secretary of State's statement this afternoon sets out the position reached in the negotiations over the Agenda for Change process. It is the result of nearly four years work, most of which has been taken up with the design and construction of the Job Evaluation and Grading Structure. It is not an "agreement" as that can only come from a decision of the members of Amicus and the other unions after consultation. However negotiations on the substantive issues are now concluded. Thus the statement sets out what we have collectively established with the DoH.
In order to present members with as complete a picture as possible more detailed work needs to be done so that we can see at a glance where individual jobs fit. The provision of benchmark jobs has been completed and that helped to design the structure we are still in the process of developing and measuring Job Profiles. There was a significant underestimate, by some, of the number and range of jobs required to make the new structures comprehensible, that is why the statement contains no details of where jobs sit on the salary scale, although the Letter to Ces does. In the past two weeks, we have had very constructive discussions with the DoH on the issue of producing a full suite of job profiles. Colin Adkins (Policy and Research Officer) is developing a series of Dialogue groups bringing together staff and profilers to look at each professional group and the full range of tasks performed. When this process is complete we should be able to readily identify the appropriate placing of most jobs on the scale. This has to be done and circulated before consultation starts in mid January.
Most protection issues are addressed in the statement. The key element is that income will be protected for 6 years, the first year to include the annual pay increase. In addition many jobs are already paid at rates which reflect the market place, these will continue to be protected by a permanent Recruitment and Retention Payment. Details of precisely who is covered to be in the big roll out probably mid January.
The protection area we are most concerned about is on weekly hours. As the majority of NHS staff are already on 37.5 hours any change would have required additional staff, already in short supply. Indeed Ambulance staff are having to agree to continue to work their longer hours (42) until extra staff are in place. A half hour reduction would require a permanent increase of 10,000 additional nurses, for 35 hour week 50,000. It is already Amicus policy to seek a 35 hour week which will have to be matched by a gradual increase in staff numbers to achieve this. We have secured 7 years of protection the first 4 at 35. To some degree the argument is an academic one because, as we pointed out to the DoH, most members on less than 37 hours, already worked longer so no additional work would be produced, however we remain unhappy about this outcome. One factor, which may help ameliorate the increase, is the new arrangement for CPD. In future this will be a contractual right and having agreed CPD under the Knowledge and Skills Framework, staff will be entitled to time of and fees paid, so no arguments about the budget being spent will be able to stop the time off.
One further area of protection concerns on call/24 hour cover arrangements. Existing arrangements negotiated at local level will continue. In order to ensure continued flexibility and modernisation, changes to existing patterns can retain the benefits they presently provide for new patterns of work.
A working group on Policy and Guidance for Healthcare Science staff is being established with RO Rachael Maskell, leading for Amicus. This should help to determine the rate of and requirements for progression through the new structures.
At this stage it will not be helpful to talk about salaries as the full profiles will be needed to distinguish jobs which are being given appropriate titles and breaking away of course from the old Whitley titles. Amicus negotiators are confident that Amicus members incomes will not decrease and in many cases increase or have the potential for increase. The next few weeks will be spent securing this.