Union launches campaign for pay and grade review for NHS Dumfries and Galloway nurses

Leading public sector union Unison has launched another campaign for a pay and grade review for nurses working in NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

As part of the campaign fighting for nurses to be paid “the proper grade for the work they do”, Unison is visiting hospitals and health centres throughout the region, and the first stop was Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary on Thursday.

Callum MacColl, Unison’s NHS Convenor with NHS Dumfries and Galloway said: “The campaign for Band 5 nurses to have their pay band reviewed is part of last year’s NHS pay settlement in recognition of the fact many nurses are carrying out additional duties and working way above their pay grade.

“Band 5 is the starting grade for newly qualified nurses.”

The latest pay campaign follows hard on the heels of the successful one which saw an upgrade for healthcare support workers who were also working on tasks and duties above their pay level.

Mr MacColl led a joint campaign with the Royal College of Nursing which resulted in more than 350 healthcare support workers being regraded from a band two to a band three, resulting in a pay uplift backdated to October 2021.

He said: “It was a challenging process as initially some 50 healthcare support workers didn’t meet the minimum threshold required.

“We insisted on a review and were able to show that they all clearly crossed the threshold for Band 3 meaning they all got a pay rise, pay arrears from October 21 and were issued with a new Band 3 job description.”

The union convenor added: “Now the work starts again to secure a pay and grading uplift for Band 5 nurses working above their pay grade.

“It will involve nurses who feel they are working at a higher level completing a lengthy submission outlining all their duties which will be assessed by a regrading
panel.”

He has warned that an uplift was “not automatic” and said that nursing staff will have to show they were working at a higher level.

He added: “Myself and Unison colleagues are on hand to help and support nurses going through the rebanding process.

“Claims can be backdated to April 1, 2023 at the earliest.”

Unison has prepared a document to assist nurses draft their rebanding claim which can be reviewed with Unison officers before
submission.