Welcome to episode 120 [originally broadcast on Wednesday 22 March 2023] of #mhTV. This week Nicky Lambert and Dave Munday spoke with guests Steve Thompson and Gary Blackburn to discuss NHS strikes and NHS pay.
You can read the pay offer made by the Department of Health and Social Care here: https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/government-and-agenda-change-trade-unions-offer-principle.
The Unite Fair NHS Pay Now website can be accessed here: https://www.unitetheunion.org/campaigns/nhs-workers-deserve-fair-pay-save-our-nhs/.
GB - I joined what was Lancashire Ambulance Service in 1991, which later became North West Ambulance Service. I’ve been a paramedic for over 25 years and a member of Unite the union for many years.
I became more involved with the union when I became both a workplace and health and safety representative. I’m currently branch secretary of NW750 branch and the Unite lead in NWAS.
I’m the Vice-Chair of Unite’s Ambulance OPC (Organising Professional Committee) and a member of both the North West Health Regional Industrial Sector Committee and the Health National Industrial Sector Committee.
ST - I joined West Midlands Ambulance Service in 1993 starting on non-emergency Patient Transport Services. I've been a paramedic since 1997.
I've been a Unite rep since 2005 and am currently branch secretary of WM/6806. I chair the National Ambulance Organising Professional Committee, am a member of the National Ambulance Strategic Partnership Forum and a Unite Executive Council Health delegate.
Some links to follow:
- The initial pay offer for 2022/23 (19 July 2022): https://www.nhsemployers.org/news/pay-award-announcement-2022
- Further details about the distribution of the award: https://www.nhsemployers.org/news/202223-nhs-terms-and-conditions-service-pay-materials
- The new pay offer covering 2022/23 and 2023/24: https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/government-and-agenda-change-trade-unions-offer-principle
- Vacancy rates quoted in the episode: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-vacancies-survey/april-2015---december-2022-experimental-statistics
- TUC research from July 2022 showing the real-terms cuts to NHS pay in England: https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/nurses-and-paramedics-will-suffer-real-terms-pay-cut-over-ps1000-year)
Some Twitter links to follow are:
VG - www.twitter.com/VanessaRNMH
NL - www.twitter.com/niadla
DM - www.twitter.com/davidamunday
Credits:
#mhTV Presenters: Vanessa Gilmartin, Nicky Lambert & David Munday
Guests: Gary Blackburn and Steve Thompson
Theme music: Tony Gillam
Production & Editing: David Munday
