SoR joins healthcare union coalition in demanding pay reform

The Society of Radiographers has joined a coalition of 14 unions in demanding reform to the Agenda for Change pay structure to ensure fair wages for radiographers.

While the 13 other unions in the coalition are boycotting submission to the Pay Review Body (PRB), the SoR has decided to still provide evidence of recruitment pressures, workforce shortages and the need for fair pay, to ensure its members' voices are heard. 

However, significant reform is needed within the PRB itself, the SoR said, as greater independence is necessary to ensure recommendations are based on the needs of NHS workers, rather than political influence. 

'A fairer, more transparent and more independent pay-setting process'

Leandre Archer, head of industrial relations and membership at the SoR, said: "We need to see the promised reform and restructuring of Agenda for Change delivered without further delay. NHS staff have been waiting too long for meaningful progress, and the pace of change must now be accelerated. 

“These negotiations need to be concluded and the agreed improvements implemented as quickly as possible, giving staff confidence that the government is serious about addressing longstanding inequalities and modernising the pay system.

"We will continue to use every available avenue to advocate for our members while calling for a fairer, more transparent and more independent pay-setting process that properly rewards the highly skilled professionals on whom patients depend every day."

Failure to overhaul the AfC structure means degree-level pay bands have fallen behind other graduate jobs, particularly for the more experienced staff the NHS so desperately needs to retain, the unions say.

In April, AfC staff received a 3.3 per cent pay increase and a promise to tackle the system’s outdated wage structure, backdating any improvements in pay to April.

The coalition has urged Yvette Cooper, secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to act now in response to the coalition’s open letter, accessible here.

Members are advised to ensure their membership details are up to date at this time.