Finding a cure? Pay in England's National Health Service
| Published date | 01 October 2003 |
| Date | 01 October 2003 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01425450310490192 |
| Pages | 504-516 |
| Author | Susan Corby,Geoff White,Louise Millward,Elizabeth Meerabeau,Jan Druker |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour |
Finding a cure? Pay in
England’s National Health
Service
Susan Corby and Geoff White
University of Greenwich, London, UK
Louise Millward
Health Development Agency, London, UK
Elizabeth Meerabeau
University of Greenwich, London, UK, and
Jan Druker
University of East London, London, UK
Keywords Pay, National Health Service, England, Industrial relations
Abstract This paper explores the consequences of the introduction by National Health Service
(NHS) trusts (i.e. hospitals) of their own pay systems. It is based on case studies of ten NHS trusts
and involved 73 interview sessions with a variety of stakeholders and the examination of
employment data and performance indicators. The research revealed the tensions and
countervailing forces inherent in NHS pay: the tension between national and local pay; the
tension between simplification and the need to address the different requirements of the many
occupational groups in the NHS; the tension between performance pay and feelings of equity; and
the tension between equal pay and the traditional pay determination arrangements. These findings
are discussed in the context of the proposed new NHS pay system.
Introduction
This paper focuses on the pay systems applied to those who work in England’s
National Health Service (NHS). In particular it considers whether the new local
pay systems introduced by NHS trusts (hospitals) in the 1990s resolved the
problems associated with Whitley, the long-standing NHS-wide pay
determination system. The paper is particularly timely; at the time of
writing the unions are recommending that their members accept a new NHS
pay system, known as “Agenda for Change”, which seeks to overcome past
problems.
We start by examining the background to national pay determination in the
NHS, the main criticisms of it and the Conservative government’s move to local
bargaining. Then drawing on case study evidence, we look at the strengths and
The Emerald Research Register for this journal is available at The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/researchregister http://www.emeraldinsight.com/0142-5455.htm
The authors wish to thank all those who provided information for this research and the
Department of Health for their funding and help. The views expressed in this paper, however, are
those of the authors and may not necessarily be held by the Department of Health.
ER
25,5
502
Received December 2002
Revised March 2003
Accepted April 2003
Employee Relations
Vol. 25 No. 5, 2003
pp. 502-516
qMCB UP Limited
0142-5455
DOI 10.1108/01425450310490192
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