Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential (a) merits of including Tunbridge Wells in the High Cost Area Allowance and (b) impact of these proposals on staff (i) recruitment and (ii) retention for the NHS Trust.

It is part of the Pay Review Bodies’ remit to look at and, if necessary, make recommendations on the future geographic coverage of high-cost area supplements, and on the value of such supplements. As these provisions are reflected in staff terms and conditions of service, any recommended changes would need to be collectively agreed between employers and trade unions.

Alternatively, National Health Service employers or staff organisations in a specified geographic area can propose an increase in the level of high-cost area supplement, or can request the introduction of a supplement where no supplement exists. There must be evidence to support its introduction, and this would be down to local determination.