Nurses' career progression slowed by new pay system.

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Author: Lipley, Nick

Career progression in the nursing profession has significantly slowed as staff and organisations wait for the roll-out of the new NHS pay system, research suggests.

Figures from the RCN's annual employment survey, published last month, show that the proportion of staff who had gone up a grade in the previous year was lower for all registered grades than in 2003, and lower for grades D, E, F and H than in 2001 or 1999.

The survey findings, published in a report entitled Managing to Work Differently, were based on responses from almost 4,800 nurses working across the profession and across the healthcare sectors.

Referring to Agenda for Change, the report states: 'It may be that the imminence of transfer to AfC pay bands has stifled some grade change, as employers and employees wait to see where individuals fall in the new system.'

Nurses also appear to be reticent to move jobs for the same reason. The report continues: 'This is the first year since 1998 when the NHS turnover figure has not increased in relation to the previous year's survey.

'Some of this slowdown in job movement may relate to the transition to Agenda for Change, and nurses waiting to find out their upgrades once the new system is in place.'

Despite more people remaining where they are, fewer have complaints about inappropriate grading or having to act up.

The report does however reveal a high level of dissatisfaction over grading among nurses from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds.

It states: 'For example, 64 per cent of minority ethnic nurses on F grades think that their grade is inappropriate compared to 47 per cent of white nurses.

'Similarly, 53 per cent of BME nurses on G to I grades think that their grade is inappropriate compared to 38 per cent of white nurses.'

The employment survey also shows that there is considerable anxiety in the nursing profession about the move over to the new pay system: 42 per cent of respondents are not satisfied with the information they have received from their employers, and 33 per cent consider that the job evaluation process is unfair.

The report adds however: 'Those nurses who have been through the process and have been allocated a pay band hold more positive views about AfC than NHS nurses who have not completed the process.'

* For copies of the report, access www.rcn.org.uk/publications/#m

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By Nick Lipley