Healthcare assistants in the maternity and theatre departments of Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust are to be moved up a salary grade and receive five years’ back pay for clinical tasks already carried out, says UNISON today (Thursday).
The staff are currently employed on band 2 of the NHS Agenda for Change pay scale. But many have carried out clinical tasks, which should be paid at the higher band 3 rate, says the union.
A planned protest outside the trust’s board meeting this morning turned into a celebration as staff were informed of the offer, worth thousands of pounds to many workers.
The offer is a success for UNISON’s national Pay Fair for Patient Care campaign, which aims to ensure all band 2 staff with increased responsibilities are paid at the correct rate for the work they do. It also calls for employees to be compensated for band 3 work already carried out.
UNISON Yorkshire and Humberside regional organiser Gary Cleaver said: “This is a fantastic outcome for these hard-working frontline staff, who are delighted the trust has done the right thing.
“There’s no doubt the strength of feeling and determination among these workers has played a huge part in such a significant offer being brought to the table.
“Staff can continue to provide outstanding levels of care to patients, knowing they’re being paid fairly.”
Jemma, a band 2 healthcare worker in theatres, said: “I’m absolute ecstatic that staff are finally getting recognised for the work that we do.
“It’s been a long journey to get here. We felt like this day would never come, so it’s a big relief.
“Staff in theatres and maternity are delighted.”
Notes to editors:
– Band 2 duties are considered to be ’personal care’, and include tasks such as feeding, bathing and helping patients use the toilet. Band 3 tasks are classed as ’patient observations and clinical care’. These include monitoring heart rates and blood pressure, taking blood samples, wound observation and urine analysis.
– Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust has two main hospitals – Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary – as well as community sites and health centres.
