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HR Policy
To Be Categorised
CoSO 22
NHS Fife
01 September 2015
01 February 2016
01 January 0001

General Note

NHS Fife acknowledges and agrees with the importance of regular and timely review of policy/procedure statements and aims to review policies within the timescales set out.

New policies/procedures will be subject to a review date of no more than 1 year from the date of first issue.

Reviewed policies/procedures will have a review date set that is relevant to the content (advised by the author) but will be no longer than 3 years.

If a policy/procedure is past its review date then the content will remain extant until such time as the policy/procedure review is complete and the new version published, or there are national policy or legislative changes.

Agenda for Change(AfC): TERMS AND CONDITIONS BRIEFING

Doc Title

Protocol for Annual Increments for Bank Staff

Distribution

Circulation to Executive Director Group, Divisional General Managers, Payroll Manager, Nurse Bank Manager, Management Teams and HR for cascading to appropriate staffing.

Document Reference Number

CoS022 – September 2015 (Updated February 2016)

Content Based on Decision made by

PCS(AfC)2015/2 and PCS(AfC)2016/1 – Annual Increments for Bank Staff

Description

The purpose of this guidance is to ensure that bank staff progress through the pay points, subject to the provisions outlined below.

BACKGROUND

1.1 In 2006 the Scottish Pay Reference and Implementation Group issued guidance on the application of annual increments to bank workers as follows:

“Bank” workers should progress through the pay points in the same way as substantive staff subject to the relevant Gateways. To qualify for an annual increment “bank” staff should have worked a minimum of the equivalent of a 7.5 hour shift per week over each year.”

The requirement to work a minimum of the equivalent of a 7.5 hour shift per week was to ensure that relevant skills were maintained and that staff were in a position to work at the appropriate level in the job.

1.3 Whilst this has worked well for “bank” only workers, issues have arisen with the application of this to substantive staff who also hold “bank” contracts.

2. PREVIOUS POSITION

2.1 When substantive staff join the “bank” for the first time they are appointed to the same pay point that they are paid in their substantive role. Thereafter, they receive an automatic increment provided their performance is satisfactory and they have demonstrated the agreed knowledge and skills appropriate to that part of the pay band or range in the substantive role but only receive an increment for the “bank” post if they have worked the required hours on the “bank”.

2.2 This can result in these staff being paid on two different pay points whilst undertaking the same job role. This is resulting in additional administrative work for the staff member, the nurse bank manager and payroll departments.

3. AGREEMENT

3.1 To resolve this anomaly, STAC has agreed the following.

3.2 “Bank” workers should progress through the pay points in the same way as substantive staff.

3.3 “Bank” workers who hold a substantive contract in the same profession and the same band should receive the annual increment automatically provided their performance is satisfactory and they have demonstrated the agreed knowledge and skills appropriate to that part of the pay band or range. However, “Bank” only workers are required to have worked a minimum of the equivalent of a 7.5 hour shift per week, ie a minimum of 391 hours over each year to qualify for an increment.

3.4 Where the bank work is undertaken in a different Board to the one in which the substantive post is held, this guidance also applies. It will be the responsibility of staff in this position, however, to bring their substantive post to the attention of the Board in which they are undertaking the bank work and to evidence that appropriately to the Nurse Bank Manager / Payroll Service in the form of a current pay slip.

4. ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE

4.1 Bank workers who hold a substantive post in the same profession where the substantive post is on a higher pay band. The increment for bank contract is awarded in line with the increment for substantive post and the pay point for the bank role should be the same as that of the substantive post up to the maximum of the pay band of the bank contract. For example, where an employee is in a substantive band 6 role on the first pay point of the band (AfC pay point 21) the bank contract (band 5) would be paid at the same point and would attract annual increments until the maximum of band 5 (AfC pay point 23) has been reached.

4.2 In situations where the bank contract and substantive role are initially on the same pay band but then the employee moves to a substantive role in a higher pay band, the principles outlined in 4.1 should apply. Whilst there may not be the years of service required under AfC to move up the pay band in the bank contract, it is agreed that any employee who is considered to have the skills required to undertake a role in a higher pay band is deemed to be experienced enough to be paid at the appropriate higher pay point for their bank work.

4.3 Situations of temporary promotion to a higher substantive role, eg maternity leave cover, should be addressed locally depending on the particular circumstances. However, should any temporary move become permanent the terms outlined above should be applied from the date that the temporary post was taken up.

4.4 As with PCS(AFC)2015/2, these provision also apply where the bank work is undertaken in a different Board to the one in which the substantive post is held (para 3.4 refers).