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Discussion

is this fair pay??

Hi,

I just want a bit of advice before I go and speak with my managers. I have just got my contract for my new job as staff nurse on the Surgical Assessment Unit and was horrified to see my starting pay £17049. I have been qualified for 13 years but have had to move around a lot (my husband was in the RAF). To give you an idea of my experience, I worked in an RAF hospital for 2 years in a casualty/outpatient department,worked in a private hospital for 6 months, worked on a general surgical ward for four years (at the same hospital i'm at now),then worked as a community staff nurse for 2 years, worked as a school nurse for 2 years then the last 3 months I have been working on the bank at the hospital where this new job is. I have got the ENB 998 - teaching and assessing qualification and have been told i'll need this as I will be expected to teach students. The unit is only small and have been told that I will be working on my own on lates and nights. When I left the hospital 5 1/2 years ago I was a top D, surely I dont have to go right down to the lowest pay They said they wanted me in the unit due to my experience!!! Am I completely wrong expecting at least the equivalent to a top D (what I was on when I last worked there), or are they taking the pee?

Any comments would be appreciated, thanks in advance,

Jools x

Featured Replies

Hi Jools

What band does your post attract? Is it an NHS post or a private one? You can find the NHS pay scales here http://www.rcn.org.uk/agendaforchange/payconditions/pay/pay2005.php

It sounds like you have been put on a band five transitional point - which if this is a new organisation for you, should not have occurred. If you are an RCN or UNISON member, I suggest you talk to a rep asap. I believe you should have been put onto £18,698 as a starting reference point.

I would contact HR and speak to them. They might be giving you a 'preceptorship' period, in which case according to the AfC handbook section 1.8

"Staff joining pay band 5 as new entrants will have accelerated

progression through the first two points in six monthly steps (that is,

they will move up one pay point after six months and a further point

after twelve months) providing those responsible for the relevant

standards in the organisation are satisfied with their standard of

practice. This twelve month period will be referred to as

"Preceptorship"."

Your salary is now calculated on what is required for the job, not on any extra skills you may also bring to the job.

Best wishes!

  • Author

Hiya,

thanks for your reply. The job is band 5 in the good old NHS! On the contract I received it states that I would not get any increments for 12 months. The starting pay they have offered is less than an old bottom D grade:angryfire The head of nursing asked me to apply for the job before I knew there was one due to my experience! If they want the benefit of my experience they must know you don't get anything for nothing. At the end of the day they need me more than I need them so we'll see what happens.

Jools.:nurse:

Hiya,

thanks for your reply. The job is band 5 in the good old NHS! On the contract I received it states that I would not get any increments for 12 months. The starting pay they have offered is less than an old bottom D grade:angryfire The head of nursing asked me to apply for the job before I knew there was one due to my experience! If they want the benefit of my experience they must know you don't get anything for nothing. At the end of the day they need me more than I need them so we'll see what happens.

Jools.:nurse:

The problem is Jools, have you started doing the job? If you have, it will be seen as an acceptance of the terms and conditions - you did not ask these questions before you started, so with the best will in the world, you haven't got much of an argument - and any steward would find it difficult to argue otherwise for you. Ignorance is not a defence. As a registered nurse with critical thinking skills, they would have expected you to assess your options before you made the decision. You could talk to HR, but I honestly don't know how far you would get... if nothing else you should be on the £18,698 salary.

Good luck.

  • Author

Hiya,

No i've not started or signed the contract yet. My start date is due to be 1st May.

Jools.

Hiya,

No i've not started or signed the contract yet. My start date is due to be 1st May. Jools.

I am so glad to hear that! Go get em kid - negotiate away, and ask if they'll put you in at the equivalent of top D - tell em other Trusts honour previous levels of pay - and please let us know how you get on... I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.

  • Experts

There may be a mistake somewhere along the line. Dont get mad yet go and speak to your ward manager and I think you may find that she will review the pay point for you. I have had to do this in the past on numerous occasions and sometimes it is a clerical error and sometimes we had just picked the wrong starting point. Remember with AFC it is not as easy to find the right point. I am sure if your manager is approachable she will be able to assist you, and if she isnt well then you found out before it was too late that she wasn't worth working for.

It will be your manager who decides your paypoint, so dont be fobbed off.

Also remember that Afc should mean that your skills are taken into consideration, ie each task you are competent to carry out & do carry out should be on your personal profile and in your case it sounds like it should mean better pay. The pay they offered is below where it should be. I echo the previous thoughts - go get 'em - but calmly & nicely of course ;)

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