Hospices: Impact of NHS Pay Increases

Baroness Brinton Excerpts

Monday 18th June 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord O'Shaughnessy]

I was not aware of that proposal but I will certainly look at it and write to the noble Baroness with our response.

[Baroness Brinton (LD)]

My Lords, it is not just hospices and social enterprises that are affected by the differential in the proposed NHS scales; the existing framework in Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service demands formal nursing qualifications but there is no contractual obligation on private operators such as G4S, Serco and Sodexo to follow those grading scales and there is already wide disparity. What will the Government do to ensure that HMPPS follows both the pay scales and the NHS scales?

[Lord O'Shaughnessy]

It is important to reiterate that, in looking at one of the consequences of the Agenda for Change pay deal, the Government have committed to look at the impact not just on hospices but on staff who are not employed on Agenda for Change NHS contracts and to make sure that they are properly rewarded for the work they do.