nhs

[SarCaustic]

What have been the biggest stories regarding the NHS over the last year?

[Dizzieblonde]

Ward closures and redundancies probably!

[boobesque]

Currently lack of midwives is making the headlines

[45703]

Sick people clog up NHS!

[OBonio]

What that Beckett woman said at the NUN (is it that anymore?) conference. Something along the lines of 'hoorah, I'm great, you just get with it prole scum'.

[OBonio]

Sorry, make that Hewitt...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4941194.stm

[China Doll]

Well there's been major changes to try and modernise the way staff are paid and graded, Agenda for Change being one of them.

Foundation hospitals caused rather a stink.

Currently there is much in the news on the financial crisis within the NHS which is leading to possible job cuts and merging of hospitals and possible closures could be in the pipe line. I know of at least one SHA that will have to close.

Are you looking for anything in particular?

[campbellking]

Agenda for Change is the most wonderful thing where people's jobs were evaluated and graded on a common scale. Trusts (including the one I work for) then decided it would be quite difficult to pay people at the appropriate grade, and are now trying to downgrade people to afford the wage bill.
Other main story is the fiasco about getting more staff qualified, then being unable to provide them with jobs once they graduate. Take for example, physiotherapists. Of the graduates this year (around 2,000), 93% have failed to gain employment. These people have cost 27 million pounds to train.

[China Doll]

Campbellking.... how is your Trust doing this on AfC? It can't be done. If you ever have any questions on this, please feel free to ask.

[Dizzieblonde]

Haven't heard of that trick at my Trust yet Campbell - and they're usually the first to try anything slightly underhanded! lol. Other than giving you new contracts with less responsibilities in your role, how are they getting away with reducing your banding?

[Le Chat]

Didn't they try all that downgrading stuff when that changed to their last banding system? ie, nurses being catagorised as a D grade when they know they should be an E?
The whole system is a gross money wasting machine, with the workers who are on the front line being short changed and the patients not being provided with an efficient service.

[SarCaustic]

Thanks for all the answers so far. I'm not looking for anything in particular - just something to refresh my memory. I want to be a doctor and I'm currently writing my personal statement and was trying to think of articles that I've read throughout the year.

[China Doll]

Your banding can't be reduced unless you have asked for a review, (in which case it can go up, down or stay the same). No managers can ask for a review of banding on behalf of their staff.

Good luck SarCaustic!