https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/news/further-improvements-to-terms-and-conditions-for-gosh-domestic-services-team/
Further improvements to terms and conditions for GOSH domestic services team
14 Oct 2021, 12:01 p.m.
Colleagues who work in the domestic services team at GOSH will be entitled to more annual leave and better family-friendly terms and conditions thanks to a decision made by the Executive team this week.
The domestic services team were previously employed by an external company, but GOSH welcomed them into direct NHS employment on Sunday 1 August 2021. GOSH is committed to providing the domestic services team with NHS pay, terms and conditions, which means carefully unpicking multiple pre-existing contracts. New benefits are being released piece by piece as GOSH works through the complicated process with its trade union partners, particularly Unison and Unite.
This new announcement means that all full time staff will be entitled to 27 days of annual leave. Those who have worked at GOSH for at least five years will be entitled to 29 days of annual leave and staff with ten years’ service will get 33 days. The leave available to part time staff is allocated on a pro rata basis. In addition, maternity and paternity leave for the domestic services team is now aligned with NHS terms, as are terms and conditions on adoption and child bereavement. These improvements are being back dated to 1 August 2021.
Aligning the pay, terms, conditions and working practices of this team with the NHS as a whole is really important. We’re committed to getting there, but it’s a complicated process that will take some time. I’m pleased with how far we’ve already come and delighted that colleagues will be getting extra holiday and improved conditions for their families now that they are employed in house at GOSH. I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone in Facilities for their hard work in transferring the service over safely and successfully.
Other changes in terms and conditions that have already come into force include:
- Enrolment for all domestic services staff in the NHS pension scheme;
- Access to the same sick pay entitlement as all other NHS staff, based on length of service at the GOSH site;
- Removal of the clocking in / clocking out system as requested by the team;
- A pay increase for all domestic services colleagues of 3%;
- The introduction of a minimum hourly rate which matches the minimum set down under the NHS Agenda for Change framework.
The Trust’s domestic service colleagues can also access the wide range of benefits and wellbeing support that is available to GOSH employees.
Notes
Agenda for Change is the pay and terms and conditions system for all NHS staff (apart from doctors and dentists). As well as pay, sick leave and pension, it covers annual leave, hours of the working week, part-time employees and employees on fixed-term contracts and a range of other terms and conditions.
See our previous news story GOSH welcomes domestic service colleagues as employees from 5 August 2021.