WORCESTERSHIRE MENTAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP NHS TRUST STARTING SALARIES AND SALARY DISCRETION This policy should be read in conjunction with
Worcestershire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust Policy Data Unique Identifier: HR038 Ratified by: Joint Negotiating Consultative Committee Ratification Date: 1st February 2008 Review Interval: Three Years Version Update: Review Date: February 2011 Owner: Head of Human Resources Reviewer: Head of Human Resources Responsible Forum: Joint Negotiating Consultative Committee Document Type: Human Resources Policy Superseded Policy: Search Criteria If printed, copied or otherwise transferred from its originating electronic file, this document must be considered to be an uncontrolled copy. When documents are updated, notification will be circulated throughout the organisation. Policy amendments may occur at any time and you should always consult the PDF file held on the Trust s Intranet.
WORCESTERSHIRE MENTAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP NHS TRUST STARTING SALARIES AND SALARY DISCRETION CONTENTS SECTION 1 STARTING SALARIES Page No 1 Introduction 3 2 Roles and Responsibilities 3 3 Criteria for Determining Starting Salaries 4 4 Recruitment and Retention Premia 5 5 Reckonable Non NHS Service for Conditions 6 SECTION 2 - OTHER SALARY DISCRETION 6 Accelerated Increments for Newly Qualified Clinical Staff in Band 5 6 7 Gateways 6 8 Additional Qualifications 7 9 Temporary Upgrade into a Higher Pay Band Previously Known as Acting Up 7 10 Additional Responsibilities 7 APPENDICES Appendix Process for Determining Equivalent 1 Experience for New Staff Coming into the NHS or Staff changing Specialities 8 Please cross reference with the Gateway Policy
WORCESTERSHIRE MENTAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP NHS TRUST STARTING SALARIES AND SALARY DISCRETION SECTION ONE STARTING SALRIES 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Every post will now have a Salary Band which has been applied either through job matching or the national job evaluation system and managers have no authority to change this Band once it has been allocated. Salary is a fundamental part of the employment contract and decisions on starting salaries onto the national pay bands must demonstrate fairness and equity within the framework of the new national conditions. The Terms and Conditions Handbook is very explicit around assimilation and promotion but offers no guidance on starting salaries. Therefore this Policy is the locally negotiated agreement between management and staff side through the JNCC and as such is binding upon all managers. 1.2 It is essential that any salary specified is subject to verification of previous service where this is applicable and this must be stated clearly. Where quoting a salary range it is important to include transitional points as part of that range if they are in operation. If there is no one in the team on transitional points then the minimum of the band becomes the minimum. Once a commitment is given, be it verbal or in writing, the basis of the contract of employment has been formed. It is therefore essential that the information given is accurate and in line with Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions and/ or Trust Guidance. 1.3 This local agreement is based on the following principles: a) Staff joining from elsewhere within the NHS should be treated in the same way as if they were moving within the Trust. b) Where there is any agreement to recognise relevant experience from inside or outside the NHS when determining a starting salary, new staff should not be in a better position than anyone gaining similar experience within the NHS or the specialty. 2.0 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 2.1 It is the role of the manager to: Ensure that they can inform successful applicants of what starting salary Band and where applicable specify a point on the Band. However, it must be clear anything other than the minimum is subject to verification of previous relevant experience. Managers should also confirm details of any recruitment premia if appropriate, unsocial hours payments and any on call payments based on the national terms and conditions. 1
Use the criteria in this local agreement to determine the Starting Salaries, and put the correct salary in the offer letter as well as the commencement form. Where a salary has been increased to reflect relevant experience this must be indicated on the commencement form. In cases where it is a sideways move and the same salary point is appropriate, the last pay slip will be deemed to be verification but a copy must be attached to the commencement form. 2.2 Role of Payroll Payroll will pay staff the starting salary identified on the commencement form. Provided the relevant information is provided where this is above the minimum of the pay band. Carry out checks on service for staff joining from elsewhere in the NHS. Advise managers and HR if there appears to be inconsistent application of this policy/procedure. Apply salaries in accordance with this document. 2.3 Role of HR Provision of up to date information on salaries to all managers. To provide guidance on starting salaries including policies/procedures. To assist managers in interpreting the criteria and ensuring that there is a consistent approach. 3.0 CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING STARTING SALARIES 3.1 All salaries are in one of 9 pay bands. Each pay band has incremental points The Manager must assess the information provided during the selection process to determine the incremental point within the band for the post. 3.2 The following criteria will apply provided there are no current employees within that team on transitional points. The definition of the team is down to the Employing Organisation to make. All new employees will start at the minimum of the band, unless any of the following apply. 3.3 Existing NHS Employee: Move to a new post on same Band. The individual is already employed within the NHS on the same pay band but on a higher incremental point. Current salary alone must no longer be used as a way of determining starting salary. However, where the same point is justified (see Appendix 1), the person will transfer on that point retaining their incremental date provided service is continuous. If there has been a break of less than a year, the incremental date will be deferred 2
by the number of days of the break in service. However, the manager will need to have arrangements in place to assess the post holder meets the relevant competencies in the KSF outline within an agreed timeframe which must not exceed 12 months. Otherwise the salary may be reduced. 3.4 Existing NHS Employee: Promotion The individual is already employed within the NHS on a lower band, which overlaps with the new band. Pay on promotion should be set at the minimum of the new pay band or, if this results in no pay increase, the first pay point in the band, which would deliver an increase in pay. Amended Feb 2008 For newly promoted staff, the incremental date will be the date they take up their new post. For guidance re. Temporary movement into a higher Band see section 9 3.5 Existing NHS Employee: already above Second Gateway Where an individual is already above the second gateway with his/her existing employer and moves to a new post on the same band and has relevant experience, they will be appointed to the same point but with a planned programme to assess their competency against the KSF outline within twelve months. If they are not fully competent they will drop to the point below the second gateway until such time as they are assessed fully competent. 3.6 Existing NHS Employee Moving to a Lower Band The individual should be placed on a point, which matches existing relevant experience or at the top of the band if their existing salary is above the top of the band for the new post. 3.7 Non NHS Employee with No Equivalent Experience The minimum of the band will apply. There are no exceptions to this. 3.8 Non NHS Employee with Equivalent Experience Where there is equivalent experience demonstrated which meets some of the KSF competencies managers may award incremental credit (Appendix 1). 4.0 RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PREMIA 4.1 Under Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions it is possible to identify posts that are suitable for Recruitment and Retention premium. The process for allocating Recruitment and Retention Premium requires local agreement with the JNCC and also approval by the SHA using the Employers Forum network of HR Directors. 3
5.0 RECKONABLE NON NHS SERVICE FOR CONDITIONS Recognition of non NHS service requires a local agreement and the following will be the first area to be looked at provided it is reciprocal. At the moment we do not have any so the section below cannot be applied. TO BE AGREED WITH SOCIAL SERVICES FOR SECTION 31 5.1 Where there is a Local Agreement to do so managers have the discretion to take into account any period or periods of employment with employers outside the NHS where these are judged to be relevant to NHS employment and count them as reckonable service for conditions as well as pay. 5.2 As the reckonable service then becomes a contractual right this must be clearly documented: - - in the person s personal file - in their contract of employment - with Payroll 5.3 Reckonable service can count incremental credit on a pay band as already indicated as well as for annual leave, maternity leave, and occupational sickness and redundancy entitlements. Local agreement can include all or some of above. SECTION 2 - OTHER SALARY DISCRETION 6.0 ACCELERATED INCREMENTS FOR NEWLY QUALIFIED CLINICAL STAFF IN BAND 5 6.1 Newly qualified clinical staff joining the NHS as new entrants on Band 5 will have accelerated progression through the first two points in six monthly steps. However managers must have a preceptorship programme in place with clear milestones that demonstrate relevant competencies in the KSF outline have been met. 6.2 Payroll can only action this accelerated incremental progression with appropriate payroll documentation via a change form authorised by the manager. 7.0 GATEWAYS 7.1 There is a separate policy and process for managing gateways. 4
8.0 ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS 8.1 Gaining qualifications is not a reason for automatic incremental progression. If the qualification is needed for the post this will have been identified in the KSF outline and would have been assessed as part of job evaluation. 9.0 TEMPORARY UPGRADE INTO A HIGHER PAY BAND PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS ACTING UP 9.1 Accelerated increments on a pay band or ad hoc allowances may not be given for acting up. If a member of staff is acting up into a different role then they should be paid the full rate for the job via a temporary upgrade. The guidance in section 3.4 is applicable for calculating the appropriate pay point. 9.2 Where a temporary movement into a higher pay results in only extra pay point the incremental date remains the same. Where temporary movement results in more than one extra pay point, the incremental date for the period of the temporary movement becomes the date the movement began 9.3 Individuals may be moved to fill a post in a higher pay band on a temporary basis. An example might be when a vacancy on a higher pay band is unfilled but being advertised, or the post is being held open for someone who is due to return e.g. from long-term sick leave, or from extended training. 9.4 Temporary movement into a new pay band should not normally last more than six months or less than one month except in instances where a longer period may be known at the outset. Examples might be maternity leave cover, a career break or long-term sick leave. 9.5 Additional increments on the same pay band may not be given for temporary additional responsibilities neither can ad hoc allowances be paid. The additional duties must be assessed by the job evaluation system and may not result in a higher Band. If they do not the salary remains the same. 10.0 ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES 10.1 Additional increments on the same pay band may not be given for permanent additional Responsibilities. If a member of staff is asked to take on additional duties then these should be assessed via job evaluation prior to commencing the changed role. 5
PROCESS FOR DETERMINING EQUIVALENT EXPERIENCE FOR NEW STAFF COMING INTO THE NHS OR STAFF CHANGING SPECIALITIES 1.0 Staff coming from outside the NHS or existing NHS staff moving to a new specialty may have relevant experience at the same level taken into account in determining their starting salary, but not in such a way as to put them in a better position than staff who have gained experience within the NHS or within the specialty. This is particularly important where transitional points are in use because existing employees on transitional points may well have significant NHS experience. 2.0 Current salary, alone, must not be used as a way of determining starting salary, but may be a factor in deciding to take relevant previous experience into account. This may result in a lower starting salary for staff who do not have sufficient relevant competencies to warrant increased points on the pay Band and this may need to be made explicit in offer letters. 3.0 Relevant experience at the same level of responsibility as the new post may be taken into account in determining starting salaries. Managers should refer to job descriptions and person specification for the required levels of experience for the job and assess previous experience against the competency levels in the KSF outline for the new post. 4.0 Any period of relevant experience should be confirmed and this may be through references and through evidence collected during the selection process. 5.0 When translating equivalent experience to starting salary a whole years experience will count for one incremental point. Increments will not be awarded for part years. The following are examples to help with this process but if managers have other scenarios they should discuss with an HR Adviser. Example 1: A nurse who has worked in the private sector has applied for a Band 6 Team Leader post. He/she has 5 years experience as a staff nurse in a private hospital and one and a half years as a ward manager with responsibility for a private unit. In this case one incremental point could be offered i.e. the one full year as a ward manager (equivalent to band 6 responsibilities). In addition if any of the clinical experience matched the KSF outline for the new post, consideration could be given to additional increments but bearing in mind the levels the other staff in the team are on. Appendix 1 6
Example 2: A care worker with previous experience with Social Care (i.e. Social Services) applies for a Band 3 Healthcare Support post. They have 6 years experience, 4 of which were as a senior care worker once they had passed NVQ 2. In this case the person could be offered 4 incremental points if the KSF outline for the new post also required an NVQ or equivalent experience at a higher level. Example 3: A person appointed as senior secretary with 5 years previous NHS experience. The experience was gained prior to a 10-year break in service, but was at a Senior Secretary level. In this case the person should start at the minimum of the band because the expected level of competencies will be very different and the 10 year break is too long to recognise that experience. The only exception would be if a relevant test process was applied which demonstrated an equivalent level of competence. 7