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Agenda for Change review

We are preparing for the wide-ranging review of the Agenda for Change pay scheme for NHS staff, agreed to in the pay deals for 2022-23 and 2023-24.

The scope of the review has been set out between the RCN, other health trade unions, professional bodies, NHS Employers and the Scottish government. 

Read our comment on the pay deal and Agenda for Change review.

Find out more below about the themes for the review and the RCN’s priorities.

The aim of the Agenda for Change review is to support workforce recruitment, sustainability and retention. The themes for the review are set out in three areas:

Terms and Conditions RCN’s priorities for the Review 
  • Contractual protected learning time
  • Reduction of the working week
  • Supplementary staffing arrangements and pay rates
  • On call arrangements and allowances
  • Maternity, paternity and shared parental leave arrangements.  

The RCN’s aim is to improve the terms and condition of members to deliver the following:

  • contracted CPD time
  • reduction in the working week
  • improvements to the rates of pay for supplemental work such as bank
  • appropriate rates of pay for on call and to ensure that on call arrangements are operated correctly
  • maternity, paternity, and parental leave arrangements that are the best possible for our members and at least have parity with other public sector organisations.  
Pay Spine   RCN’s priorities for the Review 
  • Incremental values and duration 
  • Transition points between Bands 
  • Pay on promotion.  

     

The RCN’s aim is to ensure that the NHS pay spine recognises the knowledge, skills and education of our members, as well as the level of responsibility they hold. We will be looking for:

  • the points on the pay spine to address the clear pinch points around transition between Bands
  • action to address the lack of fairness in terms of the size of incremental steps and the duration members remain on a particular increment
  • a commitment for no detriment in earnings when promoted, regardless of working pattern.  
Job evaluation   RCN’s priorities for the Review 
  • Review of Band 5 Nursing Profiles
  • Improved career progression for nursing
  • Fair operation of the Job Evaluation Scheme  

The RCN’s aim is to build on the commitment already made around review of the Band 5 nursing profiles. We will seek to:

  • improve career progression and create clearer career pathways. We believe that other NHS professional groups already have a framework in place which supports this and will seek parity
  • ensure the fair and consistent operation of the Agenda for Change job evaluation scheme across Scotland
  • remove the current variation across employers for similar roles.  

Read more about each theme on the Scottish government website.  

The review will begin within four weeks of the new pay offer being agreed by the health trade unions with the development of a high-level workplan and terms of reference for each of the working groups on the individual areas of the review. The plan will be agreed at Ministerial level within two weeks of it being submitted. 

A delivery plan will be agreed by September 2023 for the areas included in the 2022-23 pay offer (review of band 5 job nursing profiles, protected learning time, and review to deliver a reduction in the working week). An Agenda for Change review document with next steps for the wider review will be prepared by the end of September 2023 and reported to the Scottish Terms & Conditions Committee (STAC) and the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care. Where there is no agreement at STAC, matters will be escalated to the Cabinet Secretary for Health & Social Care for ministerial decision on any disputed matters during the review. 

The RCN has argued for a long time that the scope of many Band 5 nursing roles (and other roles) has grown significantly and not been fully recognised. We believe an urgent review of job descriptions and profiles for nursing is required to ensure these reflect the complexity and responsibilities of nursing roles. 

We pressed the Scottish government to commit to this review of Band 5 nursing roles. We will be looking for a process to be established that is easy for staff to access, available to all Band 5 nurses across NHS Scotland and focuses on the key demands within individual roles. The Scottish government has committed to this review being concluded by the end of 2023. 

RCN report on the nursing workforce in Scotland

Our updated analysis of nursing workforce statistics and challenges facing workforce planning, RCN Scotland highlights the key trends, implications of the trends and makes recommendations for action to tackle the workforce crisis, including urgent need for a nursing retention strategy.

Your vote is your voice Scotland

Page last updated - 03/05/2023