Our NHS is a "jewel in the crown" of UK. But pay in the NHS has been #RoyallyScrewed π
If you want to understand why nurses, junior doctors (& potentially consultants) are striking, start with this graph
Short𧡠pls read to end & share/RT
2/18 Firstly H/T @jburnmurdoch - the graph above was very much inspired by his excellent analysis & charts on NHS pay. This thread of his (which excluded consultants pay) is very much worth a read
@jburnmurdoch 3/18 But coming back to my chart you will see that measured against "consumer price index", pay versus that measure has completely failed to keep up inflation - with
@jburnmurdoch 4/18 Its worth noting by the way that the term "junior" doctor includes all grades of doctors who may be 0-15 years after (5-6 years of) medical school - professionals who may be doing brain surgery independently & other complex tasks.
@jburnmurdoch 5/18 The most common come back when people talk about public sector pay is that "everyone has taken a hit" especially given high inflation, but as @JohnBMurdoch showed very nicely in his charts, NHS workers, especially junior doctors, have fared worst of all
@jburnmurdoch@JohnBMurdoch 6/18 Adding in consultants to that chart, you can also see comparisons not only to "ALL workers in ALL sectors" (@ONS blue) but also perhaps a more apt comparator "professional, scientific & technical" (@ONS grey) .....
@jburnmurdoch@JohnBMurdoch@ONS 7/18 Or since austerity was caused by the 2008 financial crisis whereby colleagues in the finance sector were able to create too much money, too quickly - lets add in the comparator of "Finance & Business Sector" (@ONS green line)
We have nurses & junior doctors on strike & consultants potentially joining them very soon. Lets talk about inflation & pay. How to fix this car crash (& perhaps more importantly, how NOT to). Please read full 𧡠to end and share / RT
2/29 Lets start with the excellent pay graphs from the excellent @jburnmurdoch from the @FT published this week.
What do they show? They show we are NOT "all in this together"
@jburnmurdoch@FT 3/29 Let me explain. The top blue line - representing "all workers" from "all sectors" are broadly close in pay terms where their pay was in March 2009 - before austerity began to bite (around only 3.1% below in real terms)
2/ in the level has increased, and also a partial fix to #FixNegativePIAs and also minor changes to the taper. All of these will help doctors not reduce hours & avoid extras
(ii) The media focus is also on retirements only, but capacity in the NHS is also about how much work one
3/ can do *before* retirement. Changes to AA & LTA will help reverse the trend to reduce hours where people were being stung unfairly by both taxes. This element of πΌhours much more likely to make a big long lasting impact
Chancellor @Jeremy_Hunt is on his feet and starting to give his speech. I'll be tweeting live on anything related to NHS pensions in particular (& lots of changes expected so pay attention!)
Read to the end, & RT once you have!
2/ There has been intense media speculation over the last week so we are expecting that will be movement on #pension taxation as per the headline of the @Telegraph yesterday.... so lets see what makes it to the FINAL budget πΏ
3/ Please make sure you read to the end
As with all of these things #TheDevilisInTheDetail, this 𧡠will expand during the chancellors speech, & finally detail will be added once the budget documents are added later this PM (including any required addenda as more detailed known)
2/ The @FT covering a point I made yesterday questioning why the LTA is rumoured to be restored to its near previous peak, however the AA (a *much* bigger problem in the NHS), is being restored only to a fraction of it
3/ And whilst I agree with the quote it will help people doctors remain in the worforce.... (though raising the AA more would help even more) .....
1/ Pleased that the government finally appear to be listening mode πas to what will work (addressing root cause of the "doctors tax" as they call it - AA & LTA) rather than what wont work (massivley complex flexibility)
Some thoughts, please read & RT
2/ First things first - the obvious point. Whilst both taxes (AA & LTA) important, AA is significantly more of an issue than the LTA (& also has complexity of tapering). But lets take them in turn
3/ Weve been hearing for a while that government know the LTA is a problem for higher earner in the NHS. @BorisJohnson hinted that he will "fix it" in 2019
"GPs and consultants will continue to be 'pounded unfairly' by tax penalties despite changes to the NHS pension scheme announced by the government, doctors' leaders have warned."
2/ @Vish_Sharm "Fundamentally, these changes do not directly address the issues caused by annual or lifetime allowance and do nothing for the tens of thousands of mid-career consultants and GPs, for whom partial retirement would not be an option"
3/ BMA pensions adviser Dr Tony Goldstone said on Twitter that the decision to delay partial retirement rules until October this year was a 'very poor decision' that could drive some doctors out of the NHS.