6.5 per cent pay deal must apply to all NHS professionals, says BDA
NewsPosted by: Dental Design 22nd March 2018
As told in the Guardian, the government’s seven-year-long one per cent pay cap will reach its end as more than one million of NHS staff are due to receive a pay rise.
With the average rise being 6.5 per cent, NHS workers must now back the deal in ballots run by their trade unions. Those benefitting most from the pay rise include the lowest paid workers of the NHS, including nurses, midwives, paramedics, porters and cleaners.
However, the British Dental Association (BDA) are calling on the government to extend the deal to the world of NHS dentistry. They have released survey evidence that reveals 68 per cent of NHS practices recruiting in England struggled to fill vacancies with 58 per cent of NHS dentists planning to leave the service within five years.
BDA Chair, Mick Armstrong, said: “We welcome recognition that taking NHS pay restraint to the nth degree is not compatible with a sustainable workforce or patient access. Colleagues are now looking for a sign that government is willing to apply that logic to all parts of the health service.
“NHS dentistry is facing similar pressures on recruitment and retention, that risk becoming endemic in the face of an historic collapse in real incomes. It’s imperative this deal sets a precedent for all frontline health professionals.”
For the full story, click here: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/mar/21/nhs-staff-65-pay-rise-deal-backed-by-healthcare-unions
