Union bosses fear for patients as 750 care staff face pay cuts

UNION bosses fear patient care could be put at risk as a result of planned “savage” cuts to pay and conditions of more than 750 nurses and other staff.

All employees at the Care Plus Group, which provides adult health and social care in North East Lincolnshire, are currently in consultation – with some claiming they face losing £200 a month.

Management claim national funding reductions and an increase in general costs due to inflation have left them with no choice but to change employees’ terms and conditions.

Care Plus must make between £800,000 and £1 million in savings from April 1 this year to March 31, 2014.

This is on top of £865,000 successfully saved in this financial year, which ends on March 31 – with even more cuts promised in future years.

There are no plans for job losses, but Unite regional officer Dave Monaghan, pictured, believes the proposals could see cuts to overtime and unsocial hour payments, travel expenses, maternity leave and annual leave payments, as well as the downgrading of posts.

“This is one of the worst examples of attacking health service staff pay and conditions I have seen,” he said.

“Management has only allowed 28 days – which started on January 7 – to consult staff on the proposals.

“In a short period of time, when diaries are already full, Care Plus is attempting to railroad through changes to our members’ contracts which will have a devastating effect on their remuneration packages.”

Mr Monaghan is angry over a decision to refuse union representatives permission to address members at consultation sessions.

He continued: “It is too early to assess the knock-on effect for patient care, but undoubtedly, it will be adversely affected.

“The NHS is being dissected before our very eyes. Staff clearly feel very let down.

“Unite will be working with our members to strongly fight these changes.”

The Care Plus Group was formed in July 2011 as a social enterprise. It provides services including community nursing, specialist nursing for diabetes, help with drug and alcohol misuse, home care, and support for people with learning disabilities and those needing end-of-life care.

The organisation operates separately to other health bodies in the area, such as the Care Trust Plus and the trust which manages the hospital.

This year’s £865,000 target – of which £700,000 has already been achieved – is being met by, for example, reviewing administration functions and utilising technology in ways that create savings.

A spokesperson for the group said: “Standing still and not doing anything is not an option.

“We have already made a huge number of efficiency savings since our inception in 2011 without impacting on terms and conditions.

“We are now, however, facing a situation beyond our control where efficiency savings still need to be made and it is getting more challenging.

“The organisation will need to make similar savings next year and the following year will bring the need for further savings to be made.

“We don’t know the precise figure for next year as this has not been provided by our main commissioners, however, in line with national policy and trends we expect the savings to be £800,000 to £1 million.”

The Care Plus Group’s chief operating officer, Jane Miller, added: “About 80 per cent of our current spend is on staff salaries and associated costs.

“Regrettably, we have no alternative but to look at certain costly terms and conditions of employment.

“This consultation is about financial efficiency and creating conditions for organisational sustainability into the future.

“It is also based on a commitment to preserve jobs.”

The consultation is expected to last until the beginning of February.