Hunt 'risking repeat of junior doctors' row' with plan to change NHS pay

[Northerner]

The government has triggered a row with NHS staff by unveiling plans to overhaul their pay, including how much they receive for working antisocial shifts.

Health unions have warned Jeremy Hunt that he is risking a repeat of the acrimonious junior doctors’ dispute by seeking to reduce the extra amounts staff get for weekend and overnight working.

The health secretary has also aroused anger by making it clear that he wants to change increments – extra cash staff receive that helps increase their take-home pay.

Unions voiced their opposition after Hunt disclosed his intentions in an interview with the Health Service Journal, saying he wanted to change the way more than 1 million NHS personnel in England are paid by introducing a “more professional pay structure”.

https://www.theguardian.com/society...unt-nhs-pay-changes-junior-doctors-row-unions

 

[grovesy]

They have been trying to bring this in for a while.

 

[mikeyB]

The whole point of increments isn’t just rewarding time served, it’s rewarding experienced people for staying the course despite being treated like shit. Stop them, and there’s no reason to stick around.

Furthermore, workers in the NHS are growing tired of these rationalisations of pay which always end up meaning pay is reduced for extra work or antisocial hours.

If Jeremy Hunt keeps this up, every NHS worker in England will be looking for jobs in Scotland, or Wales if they don’t mind rain.