2008/09 PAY AWARD LATEST NEWS 7Jul08
Pay Circular (AforC) 3/2008 implements a 2.75% pay rise to the national scales from 1st April 08. Whilst continuing to talk about a multi year pay settlement no details of pay rates beyond 1st April 09 are detailed. Colleagues in pay Bands 5 to 8A inclusive should also see Section 5 and Annex W Section 5 regarding GOC registration fees.
2008/09 PAY AWARD BACKGROUND (07April08)
The NHS Pay Review Body has recommended a 2.75% rise for 2008/09.
A proposal for a three year pay deal has been agreed between NHS Employers, the two largest NHS trades unions UNISON & RCN and Department of Health. This package is a culmative increase of 7.58% over the three year period. This proposal comprises of:
2.75% for 2008/09
2.40% for 2009/10
2.25% for 2010/11
No other trade unions have signed up to this proposal. There is concern that in the present economic climate years 2 and 3 proposal may not meet employees needs.
UNITE recommends rejection of the multi year pay offer. A postal ballot of members is being held. Voting papers need to be returned by 11th June 2008.
PREVIOUS PAY ARRANGEMENTS
For the 2007-08 year the NHS Pay Review body recommended a pay increase of 2.50%.
The full increase was paid in Scotland from 1st April 2007. However in other parts of the UK the government staged payment with 1.50% from 1st April 2007 and a further 1.00% from 1st November 2007. See AfC Handbook for details of pay scales.
Historically national payscales for hospital optometrists were traditionally centrally agreed through the National Whitley Council mechanism. For a short period of time some NHS Trusts may have had local pay arrangements for some staff members. The National Whitley Council scales were updated for the last time on 1st April 2005. With effect from 1st October 2004 a new pay sytem was implemented across the UK under the Agenda for Change system.
The previous national payscales can be downloaded from this page.
For further information see Agenda for Change.
Further information relating to employment issues is available from NHS Employers Organisation
