§ Mr. AustinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take in respect of the survey published recently by the MSF union on levels of pay and morale of medical technical officers in the NHS. [112443]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 1 March 2000]: We recognise that the Scientific and Technical staff groups employed and trained in the National Health Service have been experiencing recruitment, retention and a range of other human resource problems. Therefore, we aim to develop a human resource strategy that will underpin the education and training, recruitment and retention and general career development for NHS HCHS scientists and technicians. Medical Technical Officers (MTOs) are a part of this work force.
This work will be taken forward as an integral part of the work programme of the National Advisory Group for Scientists and Technicians (NAGST).
NAGST is collaborating with the professions to ensure the National Health Service has an adequate supply of competent scientists and technicians. There are three strands to the current work programme:
- collection of work force data;
- work force planning;
- implementation.
A pay offer is with the staff side of the Professional and Technical Staffs' B Whitley Council covering Medical Technical Officers for:
an increase of 3 per cent. or £250, whichever is the higher for 1999–2000;an increase of 3.25 per cent. or £300 whichever is the higher for 2000–01; andin the context of agreement on the negotiations on Agenda for Change (including the principle of pay linkage as set out in paragraph 7.4 of the Joint Framework of Principles and Agreed Statement on the Way Forward issued on 8 October 1999) and the joint commitment to lifelong learning, a minimum RPI(X) at December 2000 reported in January 2001, plus 0.5 per cent.