To halt the strikes, Health Secretary Steve Barclay is considering accelerating the official procedure for awarding NHS staff a salary raise but has ruled out modifying the present offer.
To resolve strikes, Health Secretary Steve Barclay is considering handing NHS employees a pay increase in the spring, but he has ruled out any immediate adjustments to present earnings.
Following two days of record strike by nurses and paramedics, the standoff between unions and the government showed no signs of easing Thursday morning.
Leaders of the NHS have warned that they are preparing for an increase in demand for emergency care and have urged ministers to agree on pay to prevent similar walkouts in the coming year.
Mr. Barclay tweeted on Thursday that his “door is always open to discuss concerns about working conditions with labor unions.
Nevertheless, he noted, “We have an independent pay review body… and we will continue to defer to this process to ensure that judgments strike a balance between the demands of personnel and the economy as a whole.”
The pay review body (PRB) has recommended pay increases of approximately £1,400, or 4%, for the majority of NHS personnel, but unions argue that this is insufficient to keep up with rising inflation.
The government claims it cannot afford to make a fresh offer, but has not ruled out the possibility of a new deal early in the following year.
Even though the independent Pay Review Body issues its recommendations in April, health employees normally receive a retroactive wage boost in the summer.
The Telegraph reports that the health secretary, Steve Barclay, wants to expedite next year’s PRB procedure so that any extra money can be put to pay packets at the “earliest opportunity.”
Even though this does not imply a fresh or “fast-tracked” pay offer, a source close to the cabinet minister told that he is “eager to get moving” with the process and does not want it to be “bogged down” as in the past.
The process of setting compensation recommendations for next year is already underway, and there will be an “opportunity in the spring to determine whether pay increases are affordable,” according to a source.
In contrast, the head of health at Unison, Sara Gorton, stated, “Before commencing on the 2023 pay round, ministers must acknowledge that they have not raised salaries sufficiently to prevent essential personnel from leaving the sector this year.
“The mechanism of the salary review body is no longer delivering for NHS employees or the government.” To resolve pay difficulties, direct discussions with ministers are the way forward.”
Based on a letter submitted by Mr. Barclay to the PRB last month, unions have stated that they anticipate NHS employees to be awarded a 2% wage raise the following year.
It follows Tuesday’s historic strike action by thousands of nurses and yesterday’s unprecedented walkout by ambulance personnel.
As they prepare for a difficult winter, health officials have increased their demands that the government deals with unions on wages.
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, told that the health service “handled the strikes as well as could be expected” due to preparedness and the public’s “reduced frequent use of 999.”
However, he cautioned that the NHS “cannot afford further strike action during the winter” and urged the government and trade unions to reach a deal.
NHS is “suffering the price” of austerity.
As vacancies exceed 130,000, he stated that the NHS is “suffering the price” for 10 years of austerity, the COVID backlog, and failure to address workforce difficulties.
Mr. Taylor stated, “This winter will be really difficult, and there is nothing we can do about it.” However, the industrial action exacerbates an already difficult position, which is why, on behalf of NHS leaders, I reiterate the appeal for the government to re-enter negotiations in good faith with the trade unions and to find a solution to avoid more strike action throughout the winter.
Ministers have stated consistently that pay talks are not their responsibility because independent pay review committees suggest wage increases, and the government has accepted this position.
The pay review bodies are comprised of apolitical specialists in their respective fields who consider evidence from a variety of sources, including trade unions and personnel.
The GMB union, which represents tens of thousands of health workers, stated last week that it was withdrawing from the process used by the government to set NHS pay because it questioned the PRB’s impartiality.
Some Conservative members of parliament have also urged ministers to request that NHS pay reviewers revise their findings to stop the strikes by proposing bigger wage increases.
The government has claimed that larger pay promises are unaffordable and would necessitate a reduction in frontline services.
Last night, Unite national secretary Sharon Graham accused Mr. Barclay of telling a “blatant falsehood” when he claimed that ambulance unions had made a “deliberate decision” to inflict harm on people.
Additional ambulance strikes are scheduled for next week, with unions threatening further action in 2019 if pay negotiations are not resolved.
Workers in several other industries are also expected to go on strike in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
