By Gillian Ellison

Last updated at 13:27, Thursday, 03 May 2012

HOSPITAL bosses are being accused of being “miserly” by a union at a time when it claims the number of managers appears to be increasing.

Unison says the Trust which runs the West Cumberland Hospital and Cumberland Infirmary pays a long-service award of £7 a year to anyone employed over 20 years and staff can apply for a one-off payment of £30 after 30 years.

But if they agree to take voluntary severance to leave then they are not allowed the long-service award.

Christine Wharrier, Unison representative at Whitehaven, said this week: “Staff are absolutely disgusted with this miserly approach by a management who are slotting people into high-banded roles without interviews or advert.”

She claims that while nurses’ jobs are being downgraded, the North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust is seconding from within and outside the trust at a managerial salary.

“These positions are not being advertised and the people are not being interviewed. Staff are being downbanded and are totally demoralised and there seems to be more management positions.”

A performance manager for each hospital has been seconded.

Damian Gallagher, human resources director, said: “Long service awards are issued to qualifying staff who leave through normal age retirement, voluntary early retirement and also to those who retire on the grounds of ill health. As MARS was a mutually agreed resignation scheme, the long-service awards would not apply as staff have voluntarily left the NHS under a mutual agreement. The senior managerial changes were put in place as a response to the need to have senior experienced and consistent general management presence at both hospitals. This is a temporary measure achieved within existing resources at no extra cost to the trust because it’s a reassignment of existing roles. We may move to formalise this if we feel it will be of benefit as we approach acquisition – if this is the case then a formal recruitment exercise will take place.”

First published at 11:10, Thursday, 03 May 2012
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk