Unsocial Hours Update UNISON Health Conference

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Unsocial Hours UpdateUNISON Health Conference

• Mike Jackson Senior National Officer
  (Health)

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Background

• November 2004 AfC agreement signed
• Prototype unsocial hours scheme removed
• Interim scheme agreed Whitley based
• Prototype to continue in Ambulance and optionally
  in Early Implementer Trusts
• Joint review of Unsocial Hours Scheme
• Target for new scheme April 2006

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Review to date

• Unsocial Hours sub-group (of the Staff Council
  Executive) set up.
• Staff Side Reference Group meets to guide
  negotiators
• Principles agreed
• Three options developed for testing
• Semi-live testing of options Oct-Dec 2005
• Results now being analysed April-May

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Guiding principles

• Meets equal pay for work of equal value
  requirement
• Affordable (fully funded) Extra 75 million set
  aside.
• Seeks to avoid new Protections/ Avoids
  significant numbers of new winners Losers/ No
  big fluctuations from present system (words from
  AfC agreement)
• Provides incentives, not disincentives for staff
  to work unsocial hours
• Encourages flexibility in working patterns
• Simplicity - easy to understand and administer
• Earnings and Working Patterns predictable as
  possible
• Assists the improvement of service delivery
• Consistent with aims of Improving Working Lives
• Would gain support/consensus from NHS community

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Developing options

• Initially 4 options examined (bench exercise)
• Ancillary
• Nurse Midwives plus
• Admin clerical
• Adapted prototype
• Narrowed down to 3 adaptations of Nurses and
  Midwives (tapered)
• Options should be capable of retrospective and
  prospective payments

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Three Options

• Option 1 Whitley NM Taper (with current
  provision applying to band 4 and upwards)
• Option 2 Whitley NM Taper with harmonised
  payments for weekend working
• Option 3 Whitley NM Taper with harmonised
  payments across the working week

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Option 1
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Option 2
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Option 3
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Semi-Live Testing

• Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals
• Frimley Park Hospital
• Homerton Hospital
• Herefordshire PCT
• Newham Hospital
• Kings Lynn Wisbech Hospitals
• West Country Ambulance
• Craven Harrogate PCT
• Harrogate District Foundation Trust

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Timetable
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Timetable (cont.)
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Issues

• When do unsocial hours payments apply?
• How to design payments for weekends?
• What payments to apply on Bank Holidays?
• How should enhancements apply to pay bands?
• What do we do at the pay band overlaps?
• If unforeseen losses how should protection apply?
• Should Band 9 be eligible?
• Impact on Ambulance and Early Implementers?
• How would a prospective system maintain equity
  with a retrospective system?
• How could sleeping in arrangements be
  incorporated