Latest news with #SteveBarclay
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Resident doctors lose public support for strikes after bumper pay rises
Resident doctors have lost the public's support to strike after receiving inflation-busting pay rises, a poll has suggested. The medics, formerly known as junior doctors, are currently voting on staging another six months of walkouts despite receiving an almost 30 per cent pay rise within three years. The British Medical Association's (BMA) resident doctors' committee is urging members to vote in favour of strike action, claiming they are paid 23 per cent less in real-terms than they were in 2008. A new poll of 4,100 British adults by YouGov found that 48 per cent of Britons oppose resident doctors going on strike, while just 39 per cent support them taking action. The pollsters said this 'marks a shift in opinion' of public support with a survey last summer finding 52 per cent of Britons were in support of striking junior doctors. The doctors have taken to picket lines on 11 separate occasions since beginning industrial action. Last week it was announced they would receive an inflation-busting 5.4 per cent pay rise for this financial year, double what was initially budgeted for by the Government and more than the 3.6 per cent given to other staff. This follows a 22 per cent uplift that the BMA's members voted to accept from Labour last year to end its dispute. But less than a year later they are threatening to go on strike again with a ballot set to close on July 7. If they choose to go on strike, then walk outs could begin in July and could potentially last until January 2026. Conservative MPs told The Telegraph how Labour's decision to 'cave in' to unions on winning the general election last year emboldened them. Edward Argar, the Tory shadow health secretary, said Labour 'were warned that caving in to union demands last year for above-inflation pay rises, with no strings attached, risked fuelling further disruption'. Steve Barclay, the former Conservative health secretary, said the Government had 'repeatedly caved in to demands in its first year, whether indicating this week to its backbenchers on the two-child benefit payments, to their trade union paymasters without improvements in productivity and to trade partners like the EU on fishing and with the Chagos Island payments.' The pay rises for NHS staff on the agenda for change banding system – which does not include doctors – is set to cost the Government an extra £1 billion per year alone. The YouGov poll also highlighted that Labour supporters were most supportive of strike action, with Conservative voters most likely to oppose them. A leading patients' organisation said it was 'deeply concerned' about the prospect of strike action over the busy winter period in the NHS. Rachel Power, the chief executive of the Patients' Association, called for both sides to resolve the dispute quickly after the last series of industrial action 'caused so much harm to patients', delaying millions of appointments and costing more than £2 billion. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, said on Tuesday that he understood 'the anxiety and anger that resident doctors have felt and continue to feel about their part of the profession'. 'That's why, within weeks of coming into office, I was determined to resolve the pay dispute and give resident doctors a substantial pay rise. That's now being followed by another above-inflation average pay award of 5.4 per cent,' he said. 'The result is that resident doctors have seen their pay increase by 28.9 per cent compared to three years ago. The average starting salary of a full-time resident doctor is now around £38,800 - up nearly £9,500 since 2022/23. 'I want to work in partnership with resident doctors to deliver the change that the NHS is crying out for.' Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt, the BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs, said: 'Patients are all too aware how much the NHS relies on its resident doctors. 'With the announcement of yesterday's ballot, many will understandably be concerned about how future strike action might affect them getting care but it's important to stress that strike action is not inevitable and can be avoided. 'The Government has the power to honour its previous commitment to map out and restore doctors' pay, avoiding strikes entirely. We're confident that patients will recognise that the value of doctors has not diminished since 2008, but that working conditions and pay have. 'Wes Streeting must now step forward with a solution that allows us to stay with our patients, off the picket lines, and remain in this country rather than being driven to seek work abroad where doctors' unique skills and expertise are more appropriately valued. 'As the population ages and care becomes more complex, we need to make sure we retain doctors in the UK.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
NHS trusts fast-track ethnic minorities to top jobs
NHS trusts are fast-tracking ethnic minorities to top jobs to meet diversity quotas. At least 11 major hospital trusts around England have schemes or programmes focused on helping ethnic minority employees gain promotions into senior roles. The drive to 'improve representation' in management positions and on boards has seen initiatives which include 'reverse mentoring' and 'white ally training', as well as dedicated development opportunities for ethnic minorities. The policies are on top of NHS guidance, revealed by The Telegraph, encouraging all recruiters to ensure there is a black or other ethnic minority candidate on all interview shortlists. Other NHS equality, diversity and inclusion policies include recommending the Rooney Rule – an American football policy that makes it mandatory for ethnic minorities to be shortlisted for interviews if they apply – making managers justify hiring white British nationals, as well as using race as a 'tie-breaker' if two candidates are equal. The scale of such policies being used in the NHS adds to the row over hiring policies being pursued by public sector services following a decision by West Yorkshire Police to temporarily block applications from white Britons – a move branded 'racist' by Tory MP Neil O'Brien. The 'positive action' initiatives are legal under the 2010 Equality Act but have come under fire for 'discriminating' against white candidates during recruitment processes. Steve Barclay, the former health secretary, told The Telegraph the health service should scrap 'top down targets' and focus on hiring the best people for the job.'The NHS should focus on building a genuine meritocracy, which will in turn enable diverse talent to thrive, rather than imposing top down targets which often distort the outcome for candidates,' he said. Attempts to boost the diversity of NHS trust boards and hospital management stem from NHS England's Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES), which requires hospitals to report on the ethnic make-up of managers and directors and encourages action so that the roles reflect the wider NHS workforce and community. The NHS has a target of ensuring its leadership is representative of the overall black and minority ethnic (BME) workforce by 2028, while some 30 NHS trusts in the North West of England have signed up to an anti-racism awards scheme, requiring boards to have a minimum number of directors from ethnic minorities. A number of hospital trusts have dedicated teams running 'leadership programmes' for ethnic minority staff to boost their chance of securing promotions into more senior roles. Such schemes are run by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust, and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which was run by Sir Jim Mackey, the new NHS England chief executive. The trusts have reported increased diversity in executive roles as a result of the programmes. Elsewhere, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust operates career workshops for ethnic minority staff and audits talent and progression of the group through dedicated 'talent boards' across its organisation. It also runs a 'reverse mentoring' programme, where junior ethnic minority employees mentor board members, while senior staff undergo 'white ally training', according to its equality, diversity and inclusion strategy. Other hospital trusts have 'race equality steering groups' to drive diversity policy initiatives, such as to prioritise ethnic minorities for training and development groups, including at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, in London, and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. North East London NHS Foundation Trust said it ran 'a specific set of leadership programmes for colleagues from global majority backgrounds to encourage and equip them to compete and succeed in obtaining senior positions within the trust', working with its 'global majority staff network'. Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust runs a 'reciprocal mentoring programme', which 'pairs a senior leader with an aspiring leader from an under-represented staff group, so we can learn from each other, break down barriers and improve opportunities for future leaders'. Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership has a talent management agenda for ethnic minority people, while West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust previously ran a programme for a board race equality champion to improve diversity in hiring, but it said it no longer did this. Earlier this year, Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, attacked 'misguided' diversity, equality and inclusion agendas, including one that boasted of an 'anti-whiteness stance'. Publicly available guidance from NHS England's East of England region, called 'improving the selection process', tells employers to 'consider using a version of the Rooney Rule or increase the numbers of under-represented groups who are shortlisted'. A separate document called 'no more tick boxes' gives examples of initiatives used by NHS trusts to enforce diverse interview panels and says one hospital trust will 'only interview if there is at least one BME candidate and one woman candidate shortlisted'. Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust introduced 'positive discrimination at the shortlisting stage' as part of measures to increase diversity up until 2023. NHS Employers encourages hospitals to use race as a 'tie-breaker' if two candidates are equally qualified for the job. Other NHS England guidance says managers who opt not to hire ethnic minorities should explain guidance says: 'Justification should be sent to the organisation's chair setting out, clearly, the process followed and the reasons for not appointing the BME candidate.' The London Ambulance Service and Royal Free Hospital in north London are among those to have adopted policies requiring interview panels to explain why a shortlisted ethnic minority candidate is not appointed to a role. An NHS England spokesman said: 'NHS services should only ever recruit the best candidate for the job – irrespective of race – and it is obviously right trusts ensure their recruitment practices are fair and equitable, so excellent potential NHS staff don't miss out on roles due to discrimination. 'The vast majority of job applications are made through NHS Jobs which is anonymised at all stages until interview, and individual trusts are responsible for setting and following their own recruitment policies which support recruitment of the best people for the role.' A Department of Health spokesman said: 'This government's top priority is improving what matters most to patients – cutting waiting lists, making sure people can get a GP appointment and ensuring ambulances turn up on time. 'Any schemes looking to improve equality must always be fair, with jobs given on merit, and employment legislation must be followed. 'Equality and diversity initiatives should not be box-ticking exercises. 'Instead, we need to tackle the very real health inequalities that exist in Britain today, as well as the abuse and racism NHS staff face.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
14-04-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
NHS trusts fast-track ethnic minorities to top jobs
NHS trusts are fast-tracking ethnic minorities to top jobs to meet diversity quotas. At least 11 major hospital trusts around England have schemes or programmes focused on helping ethnic minority employees gain promotions into senior roles. The drive to 'improve representation' in management positions and on boards has seen initiatives which include 'reverse mentoring' and 'white ally training', as well as dedicated development opportunities for ethnic minorities. The policies are on top of NHS guidance, revealed by The Telegraph, encouraging all recruiters to ensure there is a black or other ethnic minority candidate on all interview shortlists. Other NHS equality, diversity and inclusion policies include recommending the Rooney Rule – an American football policy that makes it mandatory for ethnic minorities to be shortlisted for interviews if they apply – making managers justify hiring white British nationals, as well as using race as a 'tie-breaker' if two candidates are equal. The scale of such policies being used in the NHS adds to the row over hiring policies being pursued by public sector services following a decision by West Yorkshire Police to temporarily block applications from white Britons – a move branded 'racist' by Tory MP Neil O'Brien. The 'positive action' initiatives are legal under the 2010 Equality Act but have come under fire for 'discriminating' against white candidates during recruitment processes. Steve Barclay, the former health secretary, told The Telegraph the health service should scrap 'top down targets' and focus on hiring the best people for the job. 'The NHS should focus on building a genuine meritocracy, which will in turn enable diverse talent to thrive, rather than imposing top down targets which often distort the outcome for candidates,' he said. Attempts to boost the diversity of NHS trust boards and hospital management stem from NHS England's Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES), which requires hospitals to report on the ethnic make-up of managers and directors and encourages action so that the roles reflect the wider NHS workforce and community. The NHS has a target of ensuring its leadership is representative of the overall black and minority ethnic (BME) workforce by 2028, while some 30 NHS trusts in the North West of England have signed up to an anti-racism awards scheme, requiring boards to have a minimum number of directors from ethnic minorities. Leadership programmes A number of hospital trusts have dedicated teams running 'leadership programmes' for ethnic minority staff to boost their chance of securing promotions into more senior roles. Such schemes are run by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust, and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which was run by Sir Jim Mackey, the new NHS England chief executive. The trusts have reported increased diversity in executive roles as a result of the programmes. Elsewhere, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust operates career workshops for ethnic minority staff and audits talent and progression of the group through dedicated 'talent boards' across its organisation. It also runs a 'reverse mentoring' programme, where junior ethnic minority employees mentor board members, while senior staff undergo 'white ally training', according to its equality, diversity and inclusion strategy. Other hospital trusts have 'race equality steering groups' to drive diversity policy initiatives, such as to prioritise ethnic minorities for training and development groups, including at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, in London, and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. North East London NHS Foundation Trust said it ran 'a specific set of leadership programmes for colleagues from global majority backgrounds to encourage and equip them to compete and succeed in obtaining senior positions within the trust', working with its 'global majority staff network'. Reciprocal mentoring Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust runs a 'reciprocal mentoring programme', which 'pairs a senior leader with an aspiring leader from an under-represented staff group, so we can learn from each other, break down barriers and improve opportunities for future leaders'. Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership has a talent management agenda for ethnic minority people, while West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust previously ran a programme for a board race equality champion to improve diversity in hiring, but it said it no longer did this. Earlier this year, Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, attacked 'misguided' diversity, equality and inclusion agendas, including one that boasted of an 'anti-whiteness stance'. Publicly available guidance from NHS England's East of England region, called 'improving the selection process', tells employers to 'consider using a version of the Rooney Rule or increase the numbers of under-represented groups who are shortlisted'. A separate document called 'no more tick boxes' gives examples of initiatives used by NHS trusts to enforce diverse interview panels and says one hospital trust will 'only interview if there is at least one BME candidate and one woman candidate shortlisted'. Positive discrimination Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust introduced 'positive discrimination at the shortlisting stage' as part of measures to increase diversity up until 2023. NHS Employers encourages hospitals to use race as a 'tie-breaker' if two candidates are equally qualified for the job. Other NHS England guidance says managers who opt not to hire ethnic minorities should explain themselves. The guidance says: 'Justification should be sent to the organisation's chair setting out, clearly, the process followed and the reasons for not appointing the BME candidate.' The London Ambulance Service and Royal Free Hospital in north London are among those to have adopted policies requiring interview panels to explain why a shortlisted ethnic minority candidate is not appointed to a role. 'Best candidate, irrespective of race' An NHS England spokesman said: 'NHS services should only ever recruit the best candidate for the job – irrespective of race – and it is obviously right trusts ensure their recruitment practices are fair and equitable, so excellent potential NHS staff don't miss out on roles due to discrimination. 'The vast majority of job applications are made through NHS Jobs which is anonymised at all stages until interview, and individual trusts are responsible for setting and following their own recruitment policies which support recruitment of the best people for the role.' A Department of Health spokesman said: 'This government's top priority is improving what matters most to patients – cutting waiting lists, making sure people can get a GP appointment and ensuring ambulances turn up on time. 'Any schemes looking to improve equality must always be fair, with jobs given on merit, and employment legislation must be followed. 'Equality and diversity initiatives should not be box-ticking exercises. 'Instead, we need to tackle the very real health inequalities that exist in Britain today, as well as the abuse and racism NHS staff face.'
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NHS wastes money on overpriced foreign tech, says ex-health secretary
The NHS is overspending on expensive foreign IT systems and should buy British instead, a former health secretary has said. Steve Barclay said health service bosses could save money, cut waiting lists and improve clinical outcomes by contracting with local suppliers, rather than overseas providers – typically from the US – who charge higher fees. He told The Telegraph: 'A government that claims to want to drive UK growth needs to stop spending money on overseas companies that are not committed to the NHS, and prioritise British business. 'A government that claims to want to cut wastage needs to ensure value for money for the taxpayer.' He singled out the health service's vast expenditure on electronic patient records (EPR), which offer digital versions of people's medical history. A Freedom of Information request has revealed that some NHS trusts are spending up to £4.3m a year on EPR contracts with overseas suppliers. Many hospitals award contracts to US tech giants such as Larry Ellison's Oracle. The NHS's reliance on overseas tech comes despite alternative offers from UK-based tech companies. System C, a software company based in Stratford-upon-Avon, last year launched legal action against Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust over its decision to award a £65m EPR contract to US-based Altera. The trust subsequently reversed its decision after System C claimed there had been favouritism during the procurement process. Nick Wilson, the chief executive of System C, told The Telegraph: 'The Government has stated that of its six missions, growth is the most important – and one of the easiest ways to promote that growth is to spend hard-earned taxpayers money right here in the UK. 'We have an amazing and vibrant health-tech industry, supporting UK job creation, R&D, exports and of course providing hundreds of millions in tax revenues to the Chancellor. 'It is a complete no-brainer to prioritise and actively support British tech which is built with the NHS and UK social care in mind from the ground up – most of the time at a fraction of the cost of overseas competitors.' Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation Trust (GSTT) and King's College Hospitals Foundation Trust announced a deal worth £450m with US-based company Epic in February 2022 to roll out an EPR software across six hospitals. Ian Abbs, the GSTT chief executive, described the cost as 'chicken feed' in comparison to the NHS's pool of resources. 'We [the NHS] are running a £150bn industry, and the percentage spent on tech is relatively small,' he told the Health Service Journal, adding: 'I think the headline number looks big, but I actually think it's small.' However, Mr Barclay, who served as health secretary under Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, said the NHS needed to overhaul its procurement to ensure the right technology was being bought at a fair price. He said: 'Harnessing technology and deploying it swiftly and effectively across the NHS could transform the service, cut waiting lists, and improve clinical outcomes. 'However, we can do this whilst getting more bang for the taxpayer buck. It needs to be the right technology, at the right price, designed with the specific needs of our NHS in mind.' Mr Barclay's intervention comes shortly after Amanda Pritchard resigned as NHS England's chief executive. He has urged her eventual successor to make 'cost-effective digitisation – at the right price – a top priority'. James McMurdock, the Reform MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, has also called for greater transparency over the NHS procurement process. 'We need a deep and transparent discussion around how the NHS functions operationally and what contracts it signs,' he wrote on X, adding: 'The NHS should not be paying £££s for things that can be bought off the shelf for pennies.' An NHS spokesman said: 'While the NHS prioritises British businesses when appropriate, it is right we offer contracts based on what offers the best value for the taxpayer – in line with Cabinet Office procurement regulations.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
07-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
NHS wastes money on overpriced foreign tech, says ex-health secretary
The NHS is overspending on expensive foreign IT systems and should buy British instead, a former health secretary has said. Steve Barclay said health service bosses could save money, cut waiting lists and improve clinical outcomes by contracting with local suppliers, rather than overseas providers – typically from the US – who charge higher fees. He told The Telegraph: 'A government that claims to want to drive UK growth needs to stop spending money on overseas companies that are not committed to the NHS, and prioritise British business. 'A government that claims to want to cut wastage needs to ensure value for money for the taxpayer.' He singled out the health service's vast expenditure on electronic patient records (EPR), which offer digital versions of people's medical history. A Freedom of Information request has revealed that some NHS trusts are spending up to £4.3m a year on EPR contracts with overseas suppliers. Many hospitals award contracts to US tech giants such as Larry Ellison's Oracle. The NHS's reliance on overseas tech comes despite alternative offers from UK-based tech companies. System C, a software company based in Stratford-upon-Avon, last year launched legal action against Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust over its decision to award a £65m EPR contract to US-based Altera. The trust subsequently reversed its decision after System C claimed there had been favouritism during the procurement process. Nick Wilson, the chief executive of System C, told The Telegraph: 'The Government has stated that of its six missions, growth is the most important – and one of the easiest ways to promote that growth is to spend hard-earned taxpayers money right here in the UK. 'We have an amazing and vibrant health-tech industry, supporting UK job creation, R&D, exports and of course providing hundreds of millions in tax revenues to the Chancellor. 'It is a complete no-brainer to prioritise and actively support British tech which is built with the NHS and UK social care in mind from the ground up – most of the time at a fraction of the cost of overseas competitors.' Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation Trust (GSTT) and King's College Hospitals Foundation Trust announced a deal worth £450m with US-based company Epic in February 2022 to roll out an EPR software across six hospitals. Ian Abbs, the GSTT chief executive, described the cost as 'chicken feed' in comparison to the NHS's pool of resources. 'We [the NHS] are running a £150bn industry, and the percentage spent on tech is relatively small,' he told the Health Service Journal, adding: 'I think the headline number looks big, but I actually think it's small.' However, Mr Barclay, who served as health secretary under Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, said the NHS needed to overhaul its procurement to ensure the right technology was being bought at a fair price. He said: 'Harnessing technology and deploying it swiftly and effectively across the NHS could transform the service, cut waiting lists, and improve clinical outcomes. 'However, we can do this whilst getting more bang for the taxpayer buck. It needs to be the right technology, at the right price, designed with the specific needs of our NHS in mind.' Mr Barclay's intervention comes shortly after Amanda Pritchard resigned as NHS England's chief executive. He has urged her eventual successor to make 'cost-effective digitisation – at the right price – a top priority'. James McMurdock, the Reform MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, has also called for greater transparency over the NHS procurement process. 'We need a deep and transparent discussion around how the NHS functions operationally and what contracts it signs,' he wrote on X, adding: 'The NHS should not be paying £££s for things that can be bought off the shelf for pennies.' An NHS spokesman said: 'While the NHS prioritises British businesses when appropriate, it is right we offer contracts based on what offers the best value for the taxpayer – in line with Cabinet Office procurement regulations.'
