NHS banding & protected pay

[No ideas for a name]

Hi Guys,
I am a new poster to Jobs & Employment, but active in other sub-forums...

I have a question that probably only someone with fairly detailed knowledge of the way the NHS pay schemes operate - as they seem to be very different from the outside world. It is a question from my partner who has an admin role, and she wants to keep the specifics vague - though tells me that the following does encapsulate her question.

"NHS department to be closed down by employer.
All staff have been redeployed to roles on a pay grade one band lower.
Staff now being told that they will have to be trained in an extra role to keep their pay banding.
Should they not come under the pay protection umbrella?"

I suspect it is such a niche question that no one will really know - but opinions are welcome.

[MustangGT]

No ideas for a name said:

Hi Guys,
I am a new poster to Jobs & Employment, but active in other sub-forums...

I have a question that probably only someone with fairly detailed knowledge of the way the NHS pay schemes operate - as they seem to be very different from the outside world. It is a question from my partner who has an admin role, and she wants to keep the specifics vague - though tells me that the following does encapsulate her question.

"NHS department to be closed down by employer.
All staff have been redeployed to roles on a pay grade one band lower.
Staff now being told that they will have to be trained in an extra role to keep their pay banding.
Should they not come under the pay protection umbrella?"

I suspect it is such a niche question that no one will really know - but opinions are welcome.

I do not think that being NHS is relevant.

From your post I get the impression it was redeploy or redundancy?
Also, that they are being offered re-training to keep their existing pay grade?


If that is the case than the standard redundancy rules will apply.

No, the job does not need to be on equal pay, some employers may offer this, even if for a short period of time.
There should be a 4 week trial period to try out the new job

The new role can be refused (in writing) however, if the reason for turning it down is not deemed acceptable to the employer then the redundancy option would go away. If accepted redundancy would be available.

[Tracklover]

That's standard practice across the NHS.

My OH was offered a new role in a different department, but again one banding lower.

[No ideas for a name]

Thanks for your reply.

As far as I understand it, redundancy hasn't been offered - if it was, I suspect that would be taken.
I guess that as another job - lower band, but with protected pay - has been offered, that not accepting that role might count as just 'leaving' the employment?

[chewie2606]

They need to look at the Trust's Pay Protection policy, each NHS trust should have one based on the Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions, for instance ours states eligibility for protection is met if all the following apply:

•where permanent redeployment arises from organisational
change or disability / injury at work; and,
•where your basic pay is reduced following permanent
redeployment into a post that is one band lower than your
substantive post; and,
•where no suitable post is available at your existing band