NHS: Strike Threat Over Bid To Halt Pay Rise

The Government is facing a threat of industrial action after signalling it wants to call a halt to NHS pay rises.

The Department of Health has said it cannot afford a 1% pay rise promised to NHS staff, prompting anger from unions.

It said the rise was not affordable alongside a pay progression system which typically sees staff receive an average 3.5% pay rise.

The 1% increase was set to be introduced in April next year, but instead the department is proposing the money is spent on modernising pay structures.

In its submission to the NHS pay review body, which sets earnings for 1.3 million NHS workers, the department said the NHS was facing the biggest financial challenge in its history.

It said: "Despite real terms growth in its budget in successive years, it needs to continue to secure improved value from the taxpayers' investment, if it is to meet the growing pressures it faces in the years to come both from an ageing and growing population and the need to improve the quality of care provided.

The DoH says its budget is under such strain that it cannot afford the rise

The department said the NHS had a "stark choice" and that the dilemma was "either pay staff more, accepting that this may do little to improve the quality of care for patients and is likely to restrict the number of staff employers can afford to employ, or, to reform contracts to enable employers to use their pay bill, as part of their overall employment offer, to maintain safe staffing levels, with stronger links to performance, quality and productivity".

Referring to a recent survey, it said that staff morale remained high, and concluded: "The Government's view, therefore, remains that basic pay increases should only be implemented if there is strong evidence that recruitment, retention, morale or motivation issues require this."

Around 58% of staff will still receive a rise under the pay progression system, however 42% will not.

A DoH spokesperson told Sky News the measures would "help increase quality for patients and help us realise our vision of an affordable seven day service", adding that no final decisions on changes to pay would be taken until independent review bodies made their recommendations.

However, unions have reacted angrily to the plans.

Rehana Azam, national officer of the GMB, said its members "are already totally fed up with this Government's cuts to NHS services and jobs, which staff know is putting patient wellbeing at risk".

"If the Government now wants to attack NHS staff pay while offering tax cuts to married couples it will be the final straw that will lead to calls for industrial action."

Chancellor George Osborne had already said the rise was affordable

Peter Carter, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, warned that even raising the prospect of a pay freeze would demoralise staff.

He said: "It is demoralising for nursing staff to discover that while senior managers have enjoyed a pay increase of 13% since 2009, the Government are asking frontline staff to take another pay freeze to save the NHS money.

"It is completely unfair to say a pay increase of just 1%, following years of real-terms pay cuts, will prevent employers from recruiting more nurses and put patient safety at risk.

"It is simply wrong to imply that regular pay rises are awarded to NHS staff simply for time served, when this is not the case. Increments are only paid when a nurse can demonstrate their experience and skills have improved. It is the responsibility of employers to ensure this appraisal system is working properly."

Rachel Maskell, head of health at the union Unite, told The Guardian that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt was "responsible for either undermining the Treasury position or trying to act in an even more draconian way than the Treasury with regards to staff who work across the NHS".

"He blames the staff on a regular basis; now he wants to further cut their terms and conditions."

Mark Porter, chairman of the BMA Council, told the newspaper: "Doctors fully recognise the economic constraints the NHS is facing, but for the Government to imply that unless NHS staff endure what is effectively another year of pay cuts they will put patient safety at risk is insulting at best, given doctors are working harder than ever before and have borne the brunt of the Government's efficiency drive."

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said Mr Hunt was "unfairly forcing NHS staff to pay for his own incompetence".

"He has lost control of NHS finances due in large part to a reorganisation that has cost billions that nobody wanted ... it is not right now for him to be breaking promises made to NHS staff to try and dig himself out of that hole."

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