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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHIEF MINISTER
BY DEPUTY M. TADIER OF ST. BRELADE ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 19th FEBRUARY 2013
Question
Can the Chief Minister advise whether in 2003/2004, the Treasury withdrew £2.8 million away from the Nurses pay parity agreement and if so, will he give a full explanation as to why?
Does the Chief Minister consider that a satisfactory outcome will be achieved with regard to the current disputes with the Jersey Nursing Association and its related Union Members without this money being put back into a parity agreement?
Answer
Health and Social Services undertook a project to develop a unified pay and career structure to encompass all Nurses and Midwives. As part of this project a Hay evaluation of all the roles required within the proposed new nursing and midwife structure was undertaken. The original projected cost of full implementation of these proposals was £8 million. This was not affordable and Health and Social Services were asked to review the pay structure by Treasury.
After review the final agreed cost of implementation amounted to £6.7 million. In the 2004 Budget Health and Social Services received a total cash limit increase of £10.5 million for pay awards, as well as £3.4 million of other growth. The Treasury advised of the maximum amount that was available for the settlement. It is incorrect to say the Treasury "withdrew" £2.8 million. Implementation was then carried out within that agreed maximum.
Detailed discussions have been undertaken with the entire Nursing Unions Negotiation group which includes the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Midwives as well as the Jersey Nursing Association. These talks have been conducted since 2011 in close partnership with the employer and have identified that there are structural pay inequalities between Nursing roles and specified Allied Health Professionals.
As a result, the Employer has agreed that an integrated reward framework should be created which will resolve the structural inequality. The Nursing Unions have been fully involved and are fully aware of the intentions and plans of the Employer. The recent differential pay offer to Nurses in excess of the award made to the rest of the Public Sector is a recognition by the employer of the need to commence the movement towards the eventual resolution of the issue.
In the long term, the redesign of the Healthcare Reward structure is integral to the wider Healthcare reform and to the reform of The States.