Thousands of NHS workers may be denied a Covid backlog bonus payment through their contracts of employment. Campaigning groups claim that the Government's pay deal is 'treating many thousands of staff unfairly' by not including people working for social enterprises, charities and other non-profit organisations in a payment of up to £1,600.
They detail a danger of creating a 'two tier' system among staff working in the health sector, should ministers fail to rectify the situation - with in the region of 18,000 people backing a petition for a review on the decision. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said that independent providers of NHS services are 'not eligible to receive funding for the non-consolidated awards' included in the pay package, like the one-off bonus.
Part of the deal struck between ministers and health unions in May saw eligible staff on the Agenda for Change contract – which includes nurses, paramedics, 999 call handlers, midwives, security guards and cleaners – receive a 5 per cent pay rise, backdated to April. As part of the same deal, those eligible have also begun receiving a one-off payment for last year and a so-called NHS backlog bonus for this year, worth between £1,250 and £1,600 depending on an employee’s pay band.
