News
Briefing
SoR moves to ballot on industrial action in England
Members of the SoR have overwhelmingly rejected the NHS England pay offer and have strongly signalled that they want to be formally balloted for industrial action.
A significant number of members working in the NHS in England responded to the indicative ballot, with more than 80% rejecting the offer and saying they wanted to be formally balloted for strike action.
The turnout is the highest ever in an indicative ballot conducted by SoR on pay and shows the strength of feeling among the Society's membership regarding the latest disappointing and derisory pay offer.
At a meeting to discuss the outcome of the survey, UK Council ratified the decision to move to a formal industrial ballot. SoR leaders will organise this to begin in June.
Dean Rogers, SoR executive director of industrial strategy and member relations said the government had to take
radiographers seriously: "We have over 1.6m people waiting for a diagnosis and 1m waiting for medical images because we don’t have enough radiographers".
Dean Rogers, SoR executive director of industrial strategy and member relations, discusses the upcoming ballot on industrial action in England
“We hope industrial action will not be necessary but if it is we'll be ready”
SoR urges rejection of NHS pay offer for Wales
NHS staff in Wales have been made an additional offer for the 2022/23 pay year and an offer for the 2023/24 pay year. This offer has been negotiated in partnership between the Welsh government and trade unions.
The offer for 2022/23 consists of a lump sum for all Bands from 1-9, ranging from a value of £900 to £1,190. This is in addition to the £1,400/4% awarded in September 2022, and the further award of 3% in March 2023, 1.5% of which was consolidated.
The offer for 2023/24 is an uplift of 5% consolidated to all Bands and further investment at Bands 1-2 to ensure all workers in Wales earn the real Living Wage.
The SoR has considered this offer carefully and UK Council and Welsh Council members are recommending that members reject the offer in Wales because it is far below our position of an above-inflation pay award for all members. SoR members in Wales will be asked for their views in a consultative ballot in the coming weeks.
SOPA Images / Contributor/ Getty Images
SOPA Images / Contributor/ Getty Images
“There were few assurances on what any future pay offer would look like”
Northern Ireland members consulted on industrial action
SoR members in Northern Ireland are to be consulted on industrial action, including strike action, after ministers failed to make a pay offer or guarantee pay parity with England.
Cora Regan, the SoR national officer for Northern Ireland, met Chris Heaton Harris, the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, on 5 April, alongside other trade union leads to ensure member concerns around pay were heard.
Cora said: “Although it was a useful meeting where both sides spoke frankly, there were few assurances on what any future pay offer would look like for Northern Ireland. There was also no confirmation on whether Barnett consequentials would apply, arising as a result of the offer made to NHS staff in England.
“Alarmingly, there was also no assurance that the previously agreed pay parity with England would continue in the absence of a sitting health minister.”
Find out more about Cora and her new role.
SOPA Images / Contributor/ Getty Images
SOPA Images / Contributor/ Getty Images
Northern Ireland members consulted on industrial action
SoR members in Northern Ireland are to be consulted on industrial action, including strike action, after ministers failed to make a pay offer or guarantee pay parity with England.
Cora Regan, the SoR national officer for Northern Ireland, met Chris Heaton Harris, the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, on 5 April, alongside other trade union leads to ensure member concerns around pay were heard.
Cora said: “Although it was a useful meeting where both sides spoke frankly, there were few assurances on what any future pay offer would look like for Northern Ireland. There was also no confirmation on whether Barnett consequentials would apply, arising as a result of the offer made to NHS staff in England.
“Alarmingly, there was also no assurance that the previously agreed pay parity with England would continue in the absence of a sitting health minister.”
Find out more about Cora and her new role.
Katie Thompson and Vas Nevrides
Katie Thompson and Vas Nevrides
Your chance to vote for the next SoR Vice-President
This is the first year that members can choose the next Vice-President of the Society of Radiographers and there are two candidates standing from UK Council.
Sonographer Katie Thompson is the UK Council member for the South-West region, a trainer and an industrial relations rep for the radiology, ultrasound and breast care departments at the Great Western Hospital, Swindon.
Vas Nevrides is a UK Council member for the London region and is a diagnostic radiographer at King’s College Hospital, an industrial relations rep and a clinical practice educator.
Members who are eligible to vote will have received an email from UK Engage containing their unique code for voting. You have until 5pm on Wednesday 10 May to have your say.
European Federation of Radiographer Societies
European Federation of Radiographer Societies
Enter the EFRS Patient‐Centred Care Awards 2023
The EFRS Patient‐Centred Care Awards aim to recognise, celebrate and promote the work of radiographers in improving care through a patient‐centred approach.
SoR member radiographers can enter as individuals or as part of a team, showcasing a project or case study that must have a clear focus on enhancing patient care. The winner will be awarded €300 and the runner‐up will pick up €150.
The deadline for entries is 15 June 2023.
CQC updates guidance on accidental exposures
The updated version of significant accidental and unintended exposures (SAUE) guidance and the statutory notification form have now been published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Since the August 2020 version of this guidance was published, the CQC has updated the information on CSAUE, added notification criteria for incorrect radiopharmaceutical administration, revised some codes in the table, and amended the notification criteria for interventional radiology and cardiology, radiotherapy and foetal dose.
The changes include:
- An increase in the reporting threshold for verification exposures in radiotherapy from 20% to 50%.
- An increase in the notification threshold from 1mGy to 10mGy in foetal dose – but where previously a procedural failure was needed to instigate reporting, this is no longer the case. You must now report if a foetus has an exposure over 10 mGy, even when procedures were followed.
- An amendment to the criteria for when to investigate and notify the enforcing authority.
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