1/ As one of the leading experts on pension taxation in NHS I've personally reached out to @trussliz@RishiSunak with my thoughts on this existential threat to the NHS & solutions
If you want #TalkToTony I'd be happy to explain this complex issue.
Read 👇& RT if you agree
2/ I start by explaining in detail how about tax relief in the NHS is *not* the same as the private sector, nor is it the same as other public sector schemes
3/ Much of the general problem has been explained many times, including in the recent excellent @CommonsHealth report that correctly concluded that "It is a NATIONAL SCANDAL that senior doctors are being forced to reduce their working contribution"
4/ But even in the short time since the evidence for that report was collected, things are now moving exponentially with rapidly rising inflation causing issues with #CPIdisconnect#NegativePIAs & the very urgent need to #FixTheFinanceAct as raised recently by @DrDanPoulter
5/ Whilst issues with the Annual Allowance are central to the NHS pension crisis, rapidly rising inflation is now also destroying the Lifetime Allowance at unpredented rates. Ultimately we need a long term solution like offered to the judiciary #taxunregistered
6/ There are solutions. But government need to listen to people that understand this highly complex issue. Time is running out to fix this. Your urgent intervention is required before patient safety is further compromised by these absurdly unfair and ill conceived taxes.
Pls RT
7/ Read the letter in full below (with some minor corrections / typos)
1/ NEW & IMPORTANT: Quarterly NHS pay data updated 27/6/24 👇 In BREAKING NEWS NEW charts now show ALL SECTORS have reached #FullPayRestoration (though NOT, of course, the NHS)
2/ You'll notice when ministers are in the media, they often talk about how hard "your viewers/listeners" have been hit by inflation. But what we need to do is separate fact from fiction (aka LIES), it was 👇excellent @jburnmurdoch @FT chart that really showed this well last year
@jburnmurdoch @FT 3/ But its not just government ministers gaslighting NHS workers that they have no right for their pay to keep up (like everyone else's), it was also so-called "independent" DDRB👇
Apparently doctors & dentists should not be protected when "its not taking place in other groups"
2/ You'll notice when ministers are in the media, they often talk about how hard "your viewers/listeners" have been hit by inflation. But what we need to do is separate fact from fiction (aka LIES), it was 👇excellent @jburnmurdoch @FT chart that really showed this well last year
@jburnmurdoch @FT 3/ But its not just government ministers gaslighting NHS workers that they have no right for their pay to keep up (like everyone else's), it was also so-called "independent" DDRB👇
Apparently doctors & dentists should not be protected when "its not taking place in other groups"
1/ *VERY* concerned about the quality & type of information coming to @BMA_Pensions members to allow them to make choices in regards to McCloud.
For members who chose to move to 2008 (so called "choice 2", we saw the first of this information last week - deep dive 🧵
Pls RT
2/ OK first of all, lets rewind. Pre 2008 we were all in the 1995 section. For most members that had a fixed retirement age of 60, and gave us "80ths" of final salary. Work 40 years, get 40/80ths or 1/2 of your final salary. Simple. Back in the day contributions were 5% or 6%
3/ As we all started to live longer, government felt this was unnafordable as we were spending longer in retirement. So they introduced the 2008 scheme
- 1/60th not 1/80ths
- Retire at 65 not 60
- So called "Reckonable" pay - based on best of 3yr in last 10, inflation adjusted
1/ NEW: Consultation response out & confirmaiton of rates 1st April '24 , dropping the 13.5% tier.
Grateful government listened to concerns about feezing the top tier so tiers WILL uplift with CPI, not creating (another) "fiscal drag" for higher earners
2/ This repesents a change from previously announced where tiers were to be uplifts of AFC awards (largest employee group). I had suggested a "double lock" of greater of CPI or announced awards, which was supported by the scheme board, but sadly rejected by government
3/ @BMA_Pensions again raised concerns that the @nhs_pensions has a higher contribution rate than many public sector schemes, and has the steepest structure.
We continue believe it should be much flatter, or flat, in a CARE scheme will all paying the same for the same £1 pension
1/ NEW & BREAKING: @instituteforgov supported in analysis by @CIPFA issue an UPDATED pay erosion chart for NHS workers including @TheBMA doctors & @theRCN nurses👇
WHY is this so relevant: This now includes pay data released in '24 to Sept '23 INCLUDING 6/12 of 23/24 pay awads
- pay erosion in NHS from austerity
- uses CPI preferred by gvmnt & some economists
- crucially shows 6/12 effect of DDRB 23/24- starting basis for all pay deals (i.e. not a lot)
@RobLaurensonD4P @_VivekTrivedi @TheBMA @BMA_Consultants @BMA_JuniorDocs @Doctors_Vote 3/ So this chart uses the latest available data (released in 2024) includes the latest pay deals
Despite this @BMA_JuniorDocs down a STAGGERING 25.0% in real terms
REMEMBER: This is using CPI, not RPI, which would produce a higher figure (RPI includes mortgage interest etc)
1/ *Deeply* worrying from @RishiSunak @10DowningStreet on @bbclaurak
Watch the clip in full 👇and pick out the blatant untruths - its so unbelievable they went unchallenged Laura K?
Apparently "The government has now reached resolution with every other part of the NHS. ....
2/ "Nurses, midwives, paramedics, consultant doctors, specialty doctors most recently. "
"So EVERY other part of the NHS workforce, and I'm grateful to them for everything they're doing, has reached a resolution with the government on a reasonable, fair pay settlement. "
3/ According to our PM
"The only people that haven't are the junior doctors."
How can this go unchallanged?
To be clear @BMA_Consultants (nor @BMA_SAS) have *NOT* "reached a resolution with government on a "reasonable, fair pay settlement"