I attended an interesting presentation about AfC and two comments particularly struck me as significant.
The harmonisation of pay scales and terms and conditions was being discussed - in relation to the job evaluations, job profiles etc. The case of the Speech Therapists equal pay claim was raised and the comment made that once all the jobs had been evaluated and mapped onto the new scales, there would be no oportunity for abusing the system and no one would be able to claim a pay rise on the basis that their pay scale didn't match someone else's !
There was also a reference to the new minimum salary point on Scale 1 which would benefit all the lowest paid groups. Apparently this should be self financing - funded from the savings made higher up the scales by abolishing the unsocial hours and enhanced overtime payments ! !
So it's basically a re-distribution of wealth exercise, with minimal cost to the NHS.
