| Trades unions and professional associations that represent staff working in NHS organisations across the south west of England, including the Royal College of Nursing, have joined together to condemn plans by NHS trusts to cut pay and terms and conditions for staff. The boards of 16 south west trusts have committed to join the “South West Pay, Terms and Conditions Consortium”, effectively a pay cartel, committing large sums of money – including £10,000 each to join – to a proposal that intends to cut pay and local terms and conditions by moving away from the nationally agreed framework. The proposal, leaked to health care unions, outlines plans that include the employment of a director for the consortium and use of a management company, as well as a significant time commitment for key trust management personnel. The unions believe these resources would be better utilised on working with staff locally to identify viable strategies for making efficiencies without risking quality patient care. Dorothy Fogg, Chair of the Joint Unions Health Officers Forum for the South West, said: “This group of employers are planning to abandon nationally agreed pay and conditions. This is not an issue about public sector pay; the knock-on effects will have a devastating impact of the regional economy, especially the private sector, at a time when the economy needs strengthening not weakening.” She added: “Reducing pay and other terms will result in staff moving to those areas that pay more. This will lead to already deprived areas being unable to recruit the quality of staff needed to provide essential services to care for our most vulnerable.” Unions across the region are contacting all NHS employers asking for more information on their plans to engage with the pay cartel and to formally request that they return to working in partnership with trade unions and professional organisations to find solutions to financial challenges. |