News
Briefing
SoR highlights government ‘tax grab’ on England’s NHS pay award
An SoR analysis has exposed the paucity of England’s 5% NHS pay award, with radiographers now being pushed into higher tax brackets by the timing and structure of payments.
The Society is highlighting the issue in a briefing paper for MPs, which explains why the SoR is balloting members on strike action from 7 June after the health secretary failed to respond to the request for a meeting following members’ overwhelming rejection of the offer.
Dean Rogers, SoR Executive Director of Industrial Strategy & Member Relations, said: “This year’s award will make things harder for many radiographers and adds insult to injury."
Dean said every year a good proportion of any NHS pay award is immediately recovered by the government, because it takes back income tax, national insurance and also because NHS pension contributions go straight to the Treasury. For lower rate taxpayers, this is around 42p in every extra pound.
“By freezing tax thresholds, more of any award is recovered and more staff get closer to the £50,270 threshold for paying 40% income tax. At this point, parents also start to lose some of their child benefit payments. For those earning more than £50,270, the recovered amount goes up to between 64p and 67.5p in every pound.”
SoR to ballot members on strike action in Northern Ireland
In an initial member consultation which closed on 16 May, SoR members working in health and social care in Northern Ireland responded with over 91% saying they want to be formally balloted for strike action.
Cora Regan, National Officer for Northern Ireland, alongside trade union colleagues, met with Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton Harris on 25 May.
Cora said: “The delay of a pay award and risk we fall further behind pay rates in Scotland, the Republic, as well as England, must be addressed. Whilst we welcome the willingness of the Secretary of State to meet and discuss the impact of his recent budget, there is still no pay offer for healthcare staff in NI on the table.
"We need our devolved assembly up and running, and we need our locally elected ministers to open negotiations and put an offer on the table to avoid strike action.”
SoR UK Council elections
Are you interested in shaping the future of the Society of Radiographers?
The deadline for nominations to the UK Council elections is 6pm on Thursday 8 June 2023.
We are looking for passionate and dedicated SoR members from the following regions/countries to stand for election to UK Council:
- Scotland
- Northern Ireland
- Yorkshire and North Trent
- South West
- Midlands
The UK Council functions as the national board of directors for the SoR and has legal responsibility for governing the organisation and setting its strategic direction. Members are elected by the membership in each designated region or country.
All ordinary members from the regions/countries listed above are welcome to stand and, if successful, they will serve a three-year term from 1 July 2023.
We welcome nominations from across the radiotherapy and imaging professions and from those with a broad range of career backgrounds, ages, genders, ethnicities and disabilities represented.
The annual SoR Workplace Experience Survey now open
The Society is issuing its second annual Workplace Experience Survey and asking all members to take a short time to complete this important tracking survey.
The survey covers areas such as workforce numbers; how safe people feel at work; and whether they would recommend their work to others. The first survey provided some important insight and useful feedback on workplace realities across the NHS.
This data has been used in multiple briefings to politicians and policy makers, in discussions with other unions and also in our evidence to the NHS Pay Review Body.
This year the survey also includes members in the private sector. This will be important to help the SoR compare responses from members working in the NHS to fellow members in the private sector.
Patient talking to Radiographer
Patient talking to Radiographer
Guidance update: Intimate Examinations and Chaperone Policy
The 2023 version of the SoR Intimate Examinations and Chaperone Policy includes new sections to support trans patients and survivors of sexual violence
The document has relevance for the entire diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy workforce and is of equal relevance to all patients and screening clients regardless of gender, and it encompasses all forms of diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy planning and treatment.
It has been developed from advice published by the SoR and incorporates guidance published by the General Medical Council and The Royal College of Radiologists.
The new trans section reaffirms that these patients should be offered equality of access to services, as stated in the Equality Act 2010 guidance, however, they can have additional needs and considerations when attending for intimate examinations. The section provides definitions of key terms to help radiographers provide person-centred communication and care.
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