Last updated 15:43, Wednesday, 03 December 2008

NHS staff in Cumbria held a ‘day of protest,’ yesterday, in a row over pay.

Members of the Unite union took part in 24 hours of work-to-rule measures in response to what it calls a ‘derisory’ pay offer.

It comes at a time when the chief executive of Cumbria’s Primary Care Trust earns about £155,000 and Cumbria’s director of public health draws a salary of £225,000 (£114,000 from the PCT and the remainder from a nationally funded Clinical Excellence Award for services to public health medicine).

At the North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust the chief executive earns in the region of £150,000 and the human resources director, about £80,000.

Unite’s measures included a ban on non-essential paperwork, email exchanges, attendance at meetings and telephone calls.

It was expected to affect services across the county, although minimal impact was expected at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary or The West Cumberland Hospital.

The protests are in response to a deal which would see NHS staff get annual rises amounting to almost eight per cent over the next three years.

Workers would get an increase of 2.75 per cent from April this year, followed by 2.4 per cent in 2009-10 and 2.25 per cent in 2010-11.

Unite represents 77,000 NHS workers including mental health nurses, health visitors, paramedics and hospital pharmacists. Unite’s national officer for health, David Fleming, said: “The welfare of clients and patients will be paramount and emergency cover maintained. Our members are struggling to keep up with the cost of living. This is the third year that our members have been forced to survive on below inflation pay rises.

“If the government can find billions to rescue irresponsible banks, then it can find money to give hard working NHS staff a fair rise.

“Any extra cash in pay packets will have the added benefit of pumping demand into the regional economy.” The union has warned strike action could be on the cards if there is no movement from the Government by January.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said: “The pay deal was negotiated with all the unions, including Unite.

“The majority of NHS staff have voted to accept the multi-year agreement and the new rates for 2008/09 are already being paid. The multi-year arrangements are a good deal that ensures security for NHS staff and allows them to plan for their future and the future of their families.”

In a response to management salaries, a spokesman for NHS Cumbria said: “Cumbria has to compete for the best people if it is to provide the world class health services the county expects and deserves.

“NHS Cumbria's new management team has been instrumental in placing primary care services in Cumbria on a secure financial footing for first time in years - something which has already enabled the investment of an extra £6 million in GP services this year.

“Salaries also reflect the creation of a single primary care trust for all Cumbria. Since the creation of the new Cumbria-wide PCT in 2006, management costs have reduced year on year. Management costs at the trust are the third lowest in the North West.”