§ Mr. DobbinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to include(a) professional health groups and (b) pharmacists, radiographers and medical laboratory scientists on the NHS Pay Review Body. [96275]
§ Mr. DenhamOn 15 February 1999, the Health Departments published proposals for modernising the National Health Service pay system in "Agenda for Change." This included the possibility of moving some highly qualified health professionals into the remit of the Nurses, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine Review Body (NPRB).
Initial discussions with NHS trade unions on pay modernisation were completed successfully on 5 October and resulted in a Joint Framework of Principles and Agreed Statement on the Way Forward which was published on 8 October, copies of which are available in the Library. Paragraph 7.2 of the Joint Framework identifies, as a starting point for more detailed discussions with trade unions, the qualifying criteria for groups of staff to come within the scope of the NPRB.
The criteria are
Professions with a minimum entry requirement of three years' educational study (or equivalent) to diploma level or higher, in a health specific area (other than medicine or dentistry) and which are state registered and have a substantial majority of members employed in healthcare.Exceptions might be agreed for staff groups which meet the majority but not all of these conditions.
Staff groups which support professions added to the NPRB remit, and who have a direct connection with the transferred groups similar to that between nursing auxiliaries and registered nurses would also need to be considered for transfer.
No change will take place until all aspects of the new pay system are agreed. The joint target for agreement is summer 2000.
Radiographers are already covered by the NPRB.