SLTs AND AGENDA FOR CHANGE: UPDATE 4

August 8, 2003

  DON'T GIVE WAY ON EQUAL PAY  ~ VISIT SLT-AFC.LATEST-INFO.COM

Early Implementers FAQ's - Part 2
Amicus-MSF Reps Direct 197



These questions have been raised by members in EI sites. The answers have been agreed by the staff and management secretariat of Agenda for Change.


Q18. Is there scope for Trusts to set higher rates for staff eg. Nurses doing extra hours comparable to agency rates?

A. It is possible to use singly or in combination overtime, recruitment and retention premier, or in London high cost area payments (subject to paragraph 3.9 of the agreement.


Q19. Is there any ability to progress staff more quickly up a pay-band than annual salary point?

A. No.


Q20. Is there any scope to recruit staff at a point higher than the minimum of the scale?

A. The agreement is silent on this, it is for local discretion.


Q21. Is the shift change payment (Draft T&C 2.19) pensionable?

A. No this payment is variable and therefore not pensionable.


Q22. Where on-call payments apply to staff in receipt of a long-term recruitment and retention premia how are they calculated?

A. They should be calculated taking account of both basic pay and the applicable long-term recruitment and retention premia.


Q23. Where staff are called out and do work they are entitled to overtime payments. If they also received long term recruitment and retention premia how should the overtime be calculated?

A. It should be calculated taking account of both basic pay and the applicable long-term recruitment and retention premia.


Q24. How are the high cost of living areas defined?

A. The definition of "inner, outer and fringe" remains unchanged from London weighting.


Q25. How should COLS (Cost of Living Supplements) be treated in areas outside London and fringe?

A. They should be replaced with long term recruitment and retention premia payments as in paragraph 3.7 of the agreement.


Q26. How should Early Implementer sites deal with situations in which staff side capacity is stretched and accredited representatives cannot be found?

A. Accredited representatives should always be used if available. However, common sense should apply and if not available suitable members of staff identified.


Q27. Are there any plans to improve guidance on the mileage section?

A. The Staff Council will be reviewing those sections of the handbook which have been lifted from the Whitley handbook, this is unlikely to be imminent.


Q28. What is the position on the establishment of a Band 9?

A. This will be reviewed as a result of the experience of early implementation.
 
 

VIEWS ON AGENDA FOR CHANGE



Colin Adkins has replied to my comments in Newsletter 3.

This discussion will be continued in the next issue.


I have also received some worrying email correspondence about the effect of AFC on pension entitlements.

I have asked Bryan Freake, Amicus-MSF Pensions expert, if he could write a "join the dots" explanation for a future issue, ie. one that even I can understand.



If you want have your views published in the Newsletter, please email

Liz Panton
SLT
 
 

Relevant Links


Newsletter archive

SLT-AFC.Latest-Info.com

Info from Amicus, RCSLT and SLTs


This Update topic is on the SLT-AFC.Latest-Info.com website here
EI FAQs Part 2 - Amicus-MSF Reps Direct 197


More updates:

Download SLT Assistant Profiles


DoH Info
Agenda for Change Website

Early Implementers - Early Info

Organising for Agenda for Change

An email list can help you to organise.

SLT Union Rep's and Managers in the North East and Cumbria have set up a Yahoo! email discussion list at
SLT-RAMP.

We use this to share information and organise meetings.

Discuss Agenda for Change

* With SLTs on the RCSLT Noticeboard

* With Amicus-MSF members from across the NHS at MSFHealthSectorMembers

* Arrange to meet for an online discussion at the
RCSLT Public Chat Room
or the
SLT-North Group Chat Room.

You need to join the SLT-North group to use the Group Chat Room - see the "Join this Group" link at the top right hand corner of the SLT-North Chat Room page. There are Chat Room Tips on the SLTnorth website.

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