This is one of the reasons that I would never fit back in, in the UK, if someone deserves a pay rise they should get one, if someone doesn't then they should not, in fact if their work is sloppy enough to not deserve an increase then they will be shown the door instead of renewing their contract. Dand 4, 5 or whatever people should be paid their worth regardless of qualifications.

The Armed Forces do have a system of pay banding (of course). But the difference is that it's applied across the board, not in an haphazard fashion at local level. Also, in the Forces, you don't get promoted unless (and until) you're qualified. You can (and do) get demoted too! To be honest, this whole AfC episode (or should that be saga seeing that it's dragged on for so long) is indicative of the mind-set that seems to prevail in many of the "human resources" redoubts scattered around within the NHS. In a word, inept. No need to look it up ... it means bungling or clumsy; incompetent.

Solution:- abandon ridiculous concepts about comparing technicians with nurses (or whatever) and have a centralised (structured) system of technician grades (see my earlier comment about a training school that all should attend)! I would have extra pay for being on call, travelling on the job, and a few things like that. There may need to be a few other "variables", such as a London (that is "cost of living") allowance, and possibly an incentive payment to attract people to "unattractive" locations. But these would be a very short list, and be published nationally (so that everybody knows about them). If the NHS wants a new pay grading system drawn up for biomeds, I guess I could have it done in time for Tuesday morning (seeing that it's yet another "Bank Holiday" Monday coming up)!

On ties. Yes, this is one of my major crusades. Every convert is welcomed with open arms (better make that open collar)!

Yes, Neil. Like me, I can't see you fitting in very well with the NHS ethos. Old-fashioned grafters like us are not particularly welcome by "box ticking Brigade", believe me.

Note: here's the seed of another crusade ... let's get rid of that "Bank Holiday" terminology. Call them "Heroes Day", "Nurses' Day", "Tax Payers' Day", "Citizens' Day" ... or whatever! Anything but "Banks" (which have become somewhat discredited of late ... and deservedly so, in my opinion). How about simply "Public Holidays"?

Considering the current political climate how about Hannis for MP somewhere?

With or without expenses ???

Theres a job coming up for a speaker. but GH would have to get past the box ticking first

Don't get me started! I would prefer to revert to a time when the King was the first amongst men. That is, as still practiced in some Middle East Kingdoms. I would gladly submit my allegiance to a modern day Arthur, or Richard Cœur de Lion. Every nation needs strong leadership!

Failing that, the only "office" I would be interested in would be Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England. Doom on all traitors, troughers, [censored], [censored] and [censored]!

At the moment we are in this never-never land wherein we are all subjects of the Crown, but the Crown has no power. I anticipated a "Summer of Discontent" and sincerely hope that what we have seen so far is only the beginning. Time for Change ... big time!

Going back to the original query. Our MTO5 got a band 8b on direct matching. There are sufficient profiles that a JAQ should be unnecessary; have you compared your own job description against the generic healthcare scientist profiles or the "manager of a clinical / clinical technical service profiles? If you find a reasonable fit it is possible to suggest appropriate profiles to the matching panels.( i.e. staple them to your job description)

As far as JAQ's go just stick down everything they ask for, if your HR are following the correct procedure then you should have an informal interview/help session where some trained matchers will run through your completed JAQ with you and help you put in anything you may have forgotten.

Now back to the griping - Why should a manager be paid more than the staff they manage? It is increasingly common, where afc is being applied properly, to find that skilled staff are paid more than their unskilled managers - people management responsibility is worth a lot less than knowledge and experience.

All job comparison schemes have their flaws but are essential in the modern climate as they are the best defence against equal pay claims and AFC is one of the best such schemes around (and yes EVERYBODY thinks that is biased against their particular area [which it is ])

Why employ unskilled managers in the first place?

Why employ managers in the first place?

That is, why aren't tech services in the NHS run by Chief (Master) Technicians?

Meanwhile, in the real (commercial) world, the manager, managing director etc. of a tech services business is usually either the owner of the company, or has a heavy financial stake in it. That's real responsibility. What goes on under the banner of "management" in the NHS is, in actual fact, just playing at it. Even failure gets rewarded in the so-called Public Sector. Go on, tell me I'm wrong!

Too right, managers in 'Nationalised Industries' don't care because they will still get paid regardless of results or failures.
Promotion from within is my believe!