Derby hospital staff are invited to resign to help save NHS cash
NURSES and other hospital staff have 22 days to decide whether they want to leave their jobs in exchange for up to a year's salary.
Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has to make £21.7 million of savings in the 2012-13 financial year, prompting bosses to look at cutting pay costs.
-
Yesterday the trust launched its Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme, which it said would allow hospital staff to receive up to a year's salary if they chose to resign – compared with up to two years under NHS compulsory redundancy terms.
Staff have until March 9 to decide whether to apply.
Karen Martin, director of workforce management at Derby Hospitals, insisted the move would not impact the quality of service patients receive.
She said: "The overriding consideration with applications is the requirement to sustain quality patient care and ensure we can continue to meet service need.
"It is no secret that, like the vast majority of the NHS, we will continue to face financial challenges over the coming years.
"Like many other NHS trusts before us, that is why we are launching a Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme."
A spokesman for the trust said it was not a voluntary redundancy scheme as the posts occupied by the people who chose to resign would not be made redundant.
"They can be filled where necessary with staff redeployment," he said.
Arrangements mean severance payments will vary from three months' pay for those staff with between one and six years of continuous service, to up to 12 months' pay for workers with more than 24 years' continuous service.
The spokesman said there was no set limit on how many staff would be allowed to leave under the scheme.
"Each case will be judged on a person by person basis," he said.
"We will look carefully at all applications and consider what's right for the service."
Employees will be informed of the outcome of their application in April.
Ms Martin said: "We understand that this decision is an extremely personal one and one that will require a great deal of consideration.
"Staff are being encouraged to speak with their manager if they are considering applying for the scheme."
23 Comments
View all
by anony15
Monday, February 20 2012, 1:13PM
“All well and good getting rid of nurses etc etc, but then who will pay for the agency nurses at twice the price when they are short staffed because of the redundancies???? Total false ecomony and LUDICROUS i say, KEEP OUR NURSES!”
by Andrew_Ilson
Monday, February 20 2012, 11:48AM
“It's only a good deal if you were thinking of quitting anyway.”
by tug_f
Monday, February 20 2012, 11:08AM
“What they should be looking at is getting rid of the so called "managers" and cling-ons, over the years the common purpose led managers have proven Not to be up to the job and over paid. Maybe They should be given the same time period to decide to stay or go.”
by pommiejon
Monday, February 20 2012, 9:55AM
“To all NHS workers offered the chance to "resign" I urge you all to think very very carefully. From bitter experience I know what can happen. I "resigned" (Euphemism for made redundant, commonly called "an agreement to terminate") and recieved a payout. This is counted as salary by the Jobcentre people and you are therefore not entitled to any benefits whatsoever. Not even help to pay for re-training. I tokk a basic teacher training course and had to pay myself whilst others got it free as they were entitked to benefit I had sought finacial advice, followed it to the letter and when the money got low was told "what do you want us to do, Get a job" What at 57 years old? Well I managed it but it could have been worse. Beware of the NHS bearing gifts. You have been warned”
by Troll_Hunter_
Sunday, February 19 2012, 11:44PM
“by TheOracleRam
I admit the food could be better whenever I have eaten there, but I have also tasted worse."
You must know some seriously rotten cooks then.”
by TheOracleRam
Sunday, February 19 2012, 11:22PM
“Thanks Rob09. I am not saying there are not issues with the NHS, or that improvements could not be made but the truth is, in general, the quality of care is good.
Still waiting for the facts that back up there are too many managers in the NHS. Guess they are proving hard to find!
The truth is there are over 5000 babies delivered in Derbys each year (not hard to find those figures) and the vast majority are pleased with their care.
I admit the food could be better whenever I have eaten there, but I have also tasted worse.”
by WillCroft3
Sunday, February 19 2012, 9:06PM
“I have a friend who was a manager with another county social services, he finished at the age of 51 back in 1998, and got a good pension within 3 months he got a job with a local charity wages & pension cannot be bad. He will be 65 in March and he is staying on at the charity, two pensions and his wages on top.
I also have a relative who worked in a bank in North Derbyshire, he retired at the age of 55 and he is about 67-68 now and all he has done since he finished work is play Golf; go on holidays and change his car every three years.
If you are over 50 I recommend that you take this offer while it is still on the table. You cannot work for the NHS again but you can go Industrial or Private Nursing, with your pension on top.”
by Rob09
Saturday, February 18 2012, 8:43PM
“Record Satisfaction with the NHS:
http://tinyurl.com/5v4hk8n”
by Troll_Hunter_
Saturday, February 18 2012, 6:56PM
“by TheOracleRam
what about the 000's a year who are perfectly happy with their treatment?"
What thousands?
I've yet to meet anyone who is less that disgusted with the NHS. You have to jump through hoops and almost beg to see a GP. Need an operation? They put you on a waiting list of people waiting to go onto the official waiting list.
Labours obsession with statistics and list and lists of lists simply built up an empire of useless people doing non jobs.
I suggest also that you try eating in the new hospital. Patients need decent nourishing food to aid recvery, what they get is pig swill.”
by TheOracleRam
Saturday, February 18 2012, 4:59PM
“xwxyzwxyz you can qualify that statement with facts then? They are not increasing the number or managers at all. Its the usual uneducated comment that there are 2 many managers in the NHS.
Janine there are always going to be some bad stories but what about the 000's a year who are perfectly happy with their treatment?”