Less pay for NW foot docs

Foyle MLA Colum Eastwood complained that Senior 2 ‘foot doctors’ in the Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT) were re-evaluated as grade 5, following the implementation of the ‘Agenda For Change’ process when Senior 2 Podiatrists in the other Trusts were re-evaluated as grade 6.

Mr Poots denied all podiatrists outside WHSCT were placed on the higher pay band.

But he did reveal that 80 of them kicked up a fuss about the disparity and this resulted in 50 staff stepping up a grade.

Mr Poots declared: “It is not correct to say that all Senior ll Podiatrists outside the Western Health and Social Care Trusts were re-evaluated as grade 6.

“The Agenda for Change process, which was implemented by HSC employers in partnership with Trade Unions, sought to measure the size of jobs on the basis of job content and not previous job titles or grades.

“As a result of this process, 100 Podiatrists in the HSC, who were previously graded as Senior ll, were given a Band 5 grading; 79 of these staff were not satisfied with this grading and sought a review.

“Following the review process 51 staff from across the HSC were moved to Band 6 and the remaining 28 staff, again across the HSC, were confirmed as Band 5.”