No one chooses to work in the NHS to make their fortune. But as physio staff – along with nurses and other allied health professionals – you have always wanted respect and recognition for the work you do, writes Frontline managing editor Lynn Eaton.
One element of that is your pay. You’ll go beyond the call of duty to ensure the very best for your patients. That level of commitment is hard to put a price tag on.
This year’s pay negotiations have been complicated and far from easy. The resulting offer, currently for staff in England but potentially UK-wide, is complex. It offers better starting salaries at all levels, which should improve recruitment and therefore staffing levels. It also offers the prospect of getting to the top of the pay scale more quickly.
For those already at the top of their band, the offer is lower. A 3 per cent rise this year, then 1.7 per cent in both 2019 and 2020, plus a one-off 1.1 per cent lump sum payment in April next year. It equates to 6.5 per cent over three years. It’s an increase, but it won’t redress the real terms drop in pay that people have experienced as a result of the government’s public sector pay cap.
The CSP, along with the other health unions, will be engaging members in discussion over the coming weeks, prior to a consultative vote, to ensure all your voices are heard. There’ll be a combination of workplace meetings, webinars and – as many of you have already noticed – the chance to engage online with other members via Frontline.
It’s not an ideal world and the offer is not a perfect solution. Everyone will gain but some will gain more than others. This is due to the structural changes to pay bands. The good news is that this is extra money and will not come out of NHS trusts’ existing budgets.
- Lynn Eaton managing editor Frontline and head of CSP member communications
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