we lost the vote |  Redrods view  |  you and your contract | what the new contract means | 
we need an explanation  |   the consequences of the vote

NSASG, the BMA & Dept of Health |  membership | committee  |  discussion forum

We lost the vote, poor turnout, doctors excluded
Disappointingly we lost the vote for the new contract…we recommended a no vote. There is not much we can do about this. Even if we won the vote, the Dept of Health (DOH) would still implement the new vote for new Staff Grade doctors. DK

Here are the numbers... UK wide out of about 25,000 SAS doctors/dentists the number of Registered voters was 13,296 and total Votes cast is  5,139 (a very poor turnout- calls into question the validity of the Ballot Results).
The distribution of votes,in England/Wales/N.Ireland  Yes vote 2,563  and NO votes 1,889  In Scotland Yes vote 542 and NO vote 145 (we don't know the number of votes spoiled/not counted). SH

One member said his "ballot paper did not arrive until Friday morning last week despite chasing it up for the previous 4 weeks. Because it was after 5pm it was too late to vote either by phone or on the net. " LB

AB said "The turn out was comparable to the general election. There is no point fighting this result. Everyone should stick to the old contact and see how the new one works in real life for others
I would recommend no one signs up to anything other than 7 clinical PA's, 1 teaching/ supervision PA, 1 admin PA and 1 for CPD  if considering the new contract - some trusts may go for this and also make sure if you move jobs you negotiate hard for flexible time PA's - and if the trust will not negotiate then walk away!!"

AH said "This is very sad that the contract has been accepted. The new contract from April 2008 means already we have lost 2 years pay rise, and will be the worst lot of
doctors in the NHS. It is the saddest day for the SAS doctors."

See below for SH comments.

Redrods view

The contract is now dead and buried our duty is now to make it irrelevant. We must in our own trusts make certain that management (as they will try) do not attempt to impose this "arrangement" . We must be outgoing towards particularly our overseas colleagues who are often bullied and harassed into very unsavoury working agreements, get hold of those list servers in your trust.

The contract was accepted by approximately 20% of those using their vote, we must urge the BMA to publish the numbers taking up this contract at the deadline date for Assoc.Spec. regrading (April 2009). If the BMA are not forthcoming with their information, we will demand it from the NHSE under the freedom of information act, we must publish these figures widely. Each and everyone of us should write to the BMA news on a regular basis, some letters must get through! It may be time to start lobbying the present opposition, we should ask them in respect of their plans re medical staffing and how they see health service provision five years hence?

I do not expect us (NSASG) to achieve the level of support to be in a position to negotiate with employers. We must commence on the long march through the institutions, we must represent our members in the LNC. Locally at BMA level and regionally at CSCOM, and nationally at the SASC (abolished!) or it's successor. We are a strong group with opinions (I've often put my money where my mouth is!) Lets use our solidarity because we know better! REDROD

You and your Contract ... Associate Specialists (AS)
the new contract offers you more money, but longer working sessions, (4 hours instead of 3.5 hours), later sessions (until 7pm in the evening if demanded by management).  There are some advantages…a more transparent promoting prospect. However, the requirements for promotion to the top grapes are quite demanding and every few of us will qualify. The NSASG recommends you keep the old contract.

You and your Contract... Staff Grades (SG)
In addition to the points above for AS, your top salary will remain £65000, that is I about £20000 lower than the top for AS. (Although very few AS are on this salary). Stay with the old contract, and apply for as many optional pints as possible before the closing date, April 2009.

You and your Contract...other grades
As far as I can tell, for grades such as Clinical Assistants, the new contract is probably better than current contracts.

What the new contract means (DK)

1. with the abolition of the AS grade, the top salary will be £65000, that is about £17,000 less
   
   
2. for this and other reasons SG will be hit much harder than AS if the new contract is introduced
   
   
3. no extra money for working between 5pm-7pm
   
   
4. 33% extra for outside these hours and weekends and bank holidays…but these hours of work can be dictated by Trust
   
   
5. but on call is paid according to the time spent actually working/on the phone etc., with an additional very low ~2-6% salary increase
   so
   
   • consider 3 telephone calls in the night, even in the middle of the night, working about 30 minutes in total, will receive
   • £150/session (4 hours/session)= about £40 hour,
   • add the 33% overtime = £60/hour
   • our case....30 minutes work on the phone = £30
   • take tax off = £20 total for the 3 calls
   • + £300-1000/year ...that is the 2-6% increase in annual salary
     
     
6. the contract gives Trusts a lot of flexibility…good Trusts will not force doctors to work outside 9-5 hours, bad Trusts will be able to.
   
   
7. there are 2 promotion thresholds…the second is particularly onerous, with 360 degree appraisal, demonstration of (for example) management capabilities, and so on. In practice this will prevent many SAS doctors reaching the top 3 grades.
   
   
8. The new contract still does not ensure training; avoiding of deskilling/learning new skills; re-entry to the training grade (for particularly able/experienced members). In Birmingham 5+ SAS doctors were stopped operating (cataract surgery) because they did not have the experience/training to continue.
   They were not allowed theatre sessions to address this. Even a compromise of allowing 3 to take over the sessions of the rest, and continue their surgery, was blocked by the medical managers (the consultants wanted to take over the surgery)
   
   
9. sessions are increased to 4 hours…therefore less lunch break; 11th ‘free session’ for AS is abandoned; there is a little extra payment for this (for only ~25% of the extra work involved)
   

We need an explanation..Shah Husain

In the SAS Ballot 17/3/8 there were 8,157 missing Votes. Only 5,139 voted: 3105 voted for the new contract, the rest against. The BMA issued 13,296 ballot papers to the registered SAS members.
 
This is the Non-Negotiated SAS-Contract that was put to vote – after NHSE walked out of the Negotiations and the proposed contract was dead.
SAS grassroots are shocked and angry and questions are being asked;

1. What was the Role of SAS leaders and Negotiators?
2. Why the leaders/Negotiators adopted the policy of “silence”?? and dissociated themselves from grassroots.
3. Why grassroots were kept in ‘Dark’ during Negotiations??
4. How the proposed contract was resurrected after NHSE walked out from the Negotiating Table?
5. What is in it for the SAS leadership for this betrayal and sell out.
6. Why Ballot papers were not issued to all the Registered SAS on time.
7. Where are the missing 8,157 uncounted/unaccounted votes??

The consequences of the vote..Shah Husain

1. From 1st April 08 the SAS grades will be closed for any new entrants.
2. Staff Grades, Associate Specialists, hospital Practitioners, Medical Officers, Community medical officers, & Senior Medical Officers in Post will have the option to stay in their Grade or opt for the New Grade but once you opt for the New –you cannot revert back!
3. Some may find the new option financially attractive but please look at your rota commitments including on-call before any decision.
4. Get involved – form local Groups and join nsasg and keep yourself aware.

NSASG must

• demand the investigation into the over 8,000 missing votes
• Work out the future strategy and improve the NSASG membership.

DK agrees, and will prepare a letter to thew BMA and DOH.

NSASG and the BMA and DOH

Here is the BMA reply to our case . Here is the DOH letter to the NSASG

Membership of the NSASG

Any NHS non-training and non-consultant doctor/dentist. Our aims:

1. To support members in negotiating with the Department of Health (DOH).
2. In this respect to negotiate better conditions than the new contract offers
3. To achieve a career structure, so that members can achieve competencies etc, and progress from staff grade to associate specialist for instance.
4. The highest achieving members should achieve a post as consultant, by means of article 14 or its replacement.
5. To put pressure on the BMA to ensure that they fully support these measures and negotiate more effectively with the DOH
6. NSAS will not have enough power (at least initially) to replace the BMA in supporting individual doctors in negotiations with their Trust
7. We have~150 members so far. Apparently we have to have a much greater membership before we can be involved in negotiations…

'Committee'

'Chairman' david.kinshuck at heartofengland.nhs.uk

Secretary: Josephine Woodhouse;  publicity... Rod Price