Members should now have received their July salaries where the first part of

the pay deal should have been applied, with back pay due to be paid by Au-
gust at the latest. We know there continues to be some confusion among
members as to the timing of their increases. As was clear in the materials
used during the consultation, increases for staff below the top of their bands
consist of a mixture of uplifts to pay points, deletion of pay points and incre-
mental progression. This has the combined effect of getting them to the top
of bands quicker over the course of the deal, with the timing of increases
during each year dependant on individual incremental dates.

You may be aware that the Royal College of Nursing has issued an apology
to its members for issuing some communications that wrongly stated all staff
would get 3% in year 1 of the deal, backdated to 1 April 2018. This error ap-
plies to RCN communications only – I want to reassure you that UNISON’s
materials and the joint union materials described the deal correctly.

We are now working to ensure that the first year of the deal that was over-
whelmingly accepted by our members, is implemented correctly and we are
happy to meet with UNISON members to explain the deal in more detail and
how it impacts on them. Please contact the UNISON Office on 01912231373
or email unison@nuth.nhs.uk to arrange an appointment.
This is a complex restructure of the pay system for more than a million staff. It means different
increases at different times for individuals depending on where in the structure they were at the
beginning of the deal. The aim is to get all staff on to the new pay structure by the end of the
three years. The majority of you will be at the top point in your band by the end of March 2020.

I know the changes are difficult to get your head around, especially when you may have heard a
lot of misinformation and when some employers are not explaining clearly what is involved. So I
wanted to recap on what you should expect, and what you can do if you’re unsure if your pay is
correct.

UNISON and the materials unions issued jointly, including frequently asked questions and infor-
mation on nhspay.org, all outlined that increases would be a mixture of pay awards, reform of
pay bands, and incremental progression for staff below the top of bands. Therefore the timing of
when increases are paid each year depends on your individual incremental date if you are not at
the top of your band.

I understand that some information put out by the RCN was not sufficiently clear on this issue,
and this may mean UNISON members are receiving queries as a result.

We want to help you and any of your colleagues who may be concerned. The following summa-
rises the four different staff groups affected by the deal, and what happens in this first year in
each case:

1. Those at the top of bands 2 to 8c

This group covers roughly 52% of the workforce and you will get 3% added to your salary from 1
April 2018.

2. Those at the bottom of band 2 to 8c

This pay point is deleted from the bottom of each band and you are moved to the next point from
1 April 2018.

3. Those whose basic pay is less than £17,460

Roughly 100,000 of you will move to the new minimum basic salary of £17,460 from 1 April 2018.

4. Those on points between the bottom and top of each band

Your pay points are in transition over the three years, with total change to pay made up of annual
pay awards, annual increments and restructuring. As we said when we consulted you, everyone
is better off under this deal than you would have been under the old increments and 1% pay
awards. The changes are spread out and some people do better than others along the way but
will end up in a reformed pay structure that is better for all.

We know it is complex if you are in group 4 (those on points between the bottom and top of each
band). The RCN have confused people by saying that staff in this group would get 3% from April.
If that had been the case, it would have been clearly stated in our materials.
Our priority throughout the negotiations was to get as much money for as many people as possi-
ble. We are working with employers and other trade unions to make this complex transition as
smooth as possible.
If you still have concerns about what you are entitled to, and when, please email
health@unison.co.uk and we will do our best to respond.

Yours sincerely,
Sara, SARA GORTON—Head of Health, UNISON
 Other Public Sector Pay 2018/19
for Comparison
Teachers—1.5 to 3.5% (dependent on
status)

Armed Forces—2.9% (2% consolidated

and 0.9% unconsolidated)

Prison Officers—2.75% (2% consolidated

and 0.75 unconsolidated)

Police—2%

Junior Doctors, Dentists, GP’s, specialist

Doctors—2%

The unconsolidated award is treated as an al-

lowance, paid in addition to basic salary. It is
non-pensionable and is not included in the cal-
culations for other payments that are based on
basic salary, such as overtime. These awards
are not fully funded by the Government either
which means that without extra money from
the Treasury to fund these pay increases, ser-
vices and jobs somewhere may have to be cut.

The Department of Health and Social

Care has confirmed that the multi-year
deal is fully funded and that work con-
tinues on the best mechanism for en-
suring NHS organisations and eligible
non-NHS organisations receive the ad-
ditional funding.

Additional points agreed in the deal

In addition to the already mentioned pay rises employers will work in partnership with trade unions to intro-
duce local mechanisms to guarantee access to those annual leave and time off in lieu (TOIL) provisions set out in
the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service handbook. New provisions will be added to the NHS Terms and Condi-
tions of Service handbook to give staff access to consistent child bereavement Leave, enhanced shared parental
leave (extension of statutory), and a national framework for buying and selling annual leave.

Future NHS Staff Council work programme

Programme of work to improve health and wellbeing to support better attendance levels and reduce sickness
absence.
To explore the alignment between Agenda for Change and other senior NHS pay arrangements.
NHS Staff Council to negotiate provisions for apprenticeship pay as a matter of urgency.
NHS Staff Council to undertake work on exploring the scope for a collective framework agreement on bank and
agency working.

Monitoring the impact of the deal

NHS Pay Review Body
NHS Pay Review Body retains its standing remit and will look at the progress of implementation and its impact.
This monitoring role will also consider the future use and values of RRPs and High Cost Area Supplement (HCAS)
payment
Bands 1-3
Key changes to include:
 Band 1 to be closed to new recruits from the 1st December 2018
 Upskilling of current Band 1 roles and Band 2 roles to be completed by March 2021
 Those unable or unwilling to move to new Band 2 roles to be able to remain in their current Band 1
role
 Band 1 to become a single spot salary
 Band 2 and Band 3 will have two step points and take a minimum of two years to progress to the
top of their Band
 The minimum pay rate for the NHS will be above the Living Wage Foundation living wage ( £8.75 as
set in November 2017)
 Those existing staff earning £18,160 or less to retain their unsocial payments whilst off sick
 For the next three years the unsocial hours percentage rates will be adjusted to reflect the increase
in basic salary, while preserving the value of the current payment tiers

Bands 4-7
Key changes to include:
 Shorter periods to progress to the top of the pay band
*Band 4 will have two step points, taking a minimum of three years to progress to the top of
the band
*Band 5 will have three step points, taking a minimum of two years to progress from the en-
try step point to the mid step point and then a further minimum of two years to progress to
the top of the band
*Band 6 and Band 7 will have three step points, taking a minimum of two years to progress
from the entry step point to the mid step point and then a further minimum of three years
to progress to the top of the band
 No specific changes to the terms and conditions for Bands 4 to 7

Bands 8a-9
Key changes to include:
 Band 8 and Band 9 will have two step points taking a minimum of five years to progress from entry
step point to the top of the band
 For Band 8C, 8D and Band 9, the top step point will have a 5 to 10%of their basic salary annually re-
earnable, subject to meeting performance requirements
 Those staff with reserved rights from the NHS Terms and Conditions 2013 (NHS TCS 2013) changes
will continue to receive protection on a marked time basis
 Pay increase for those on Band 8D and Band 9 will be capped at the increase for those on the top
step point in Band 8C

This is a complex deal and is based upon your individual circumstances. Fur-
ther information can be found at http://www.nhsemployers.org/your-
workforce/2018-contract-refresh/framework-agreement and the an indi-
vidual planner can be found here http://www.nhsemployers.org/your-
workforce/2018-contract-refresh/pay-journey-tool
To ensure the NHS is better able to recruit and retain staff in the lower pay bands a new rate of £17,460 will be intro-
duced from 1 April 2018 as the minimum basic pay rate in the NHS, in order to future proof the pay structure, stay ahead
of statutory requirements, and ensure the NHS in England retains a competitive market advantage in the jobs market for
staff employed at this level.

Band 1 will be uprated to this minimum pay rate with effect from 1 April 2018. Band 1 will be closed to new entrants
from 1 December 2018. The NHS Staff Council will agree a framework to support and encourage provider organisations to
upskill roles currently in band 1 to band 2 roles. This exercise should be completed by 31 March 2021, in line with a pro-
cess that will be agreed by the NHS Staff Council.

THE MINIMUM WAGE NATIONAL LIVING WAGE REAL LIVING WAGE

EXPLAINING THE
Government minimum for Government minimum for The only wage to be based on
LIVING WAGE
under 25’s over 25’s what people need to live

WHAT IS IT? £7.38 £7.83 £8.75 outside London

UNISON’s NHS Pay Ballot Outcome

UNISON members voted yes by a large margin with approximately 84% voting to accept and
16% voting against.
Over 83,500 members voted in a turnout of around 30%.