ARC 2012: ‘Autonomy’ of pay review body must be protected

10 February 2012

The ‘autonomy’ of the independent pay review body must be protected and it should be allowed to examine all the available evidence before making its recommendations on setting the levels of pay and remuneration in the NHS over the coming years.

Council member Alex MacKenzie told delegates that it was the role of the pay review body to recommend the levels of NHS pay and not that of the government to determine them alone.

‘The government now want to significantly influence the pay review body and change its remit,’ she warned.

She added that the government’s proposals to bring in local pay bargaining in the NHS would also lead to ‘disparities in pay’ with the spectre of employers ‘poaching’ staff and a negative impact on economically depressed areas of the country.

Selina Ng representing North London stewards and safety representatives agreed. ‘George Osborne has had the audacity to write to the pay review body asking them to consider local pay when they should allow it to make an independent assessment of public sector pay.’