Agenda for Change on-call
NHS AFC on-call update
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Following a review of on-call arrangements, the NHS Staff Council published agreed national principles to support local negotiations on new arrangements. These principles and supporting guidance are detailed below.
These became effective on 1 April 2011.
The 12 principles are designed to meet equal pay requirements, while giving organisations the flexibility to meet local needs.
They cover key areas including defining what 'on-call' is, on-call availability and equal pay issues, and clarify the different aspects of on-call such as frequency, time off in lieu and public holidays.
Where staff are required to work to cover services in the evening, at night, over weekends and on general public holidays, the NHS Staff Council has agreed that the following percentage enhancements should be paid.
| Pay band | All time on Saturday(midnight to midnight)and any week day after 8 pm and before 6 am | All time on Sundays and Public Holidays (midnight to midnight) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Time plus 50% | Double Time |
| 2 | Time plus 44% | Time plus 88% |
| 3 | Time plus 37% | Time plus 74% |
| 4 – 9 | Time plus 30% | Time plus 60% |
Guidance to support local on-call negotiations
The NHS Staff Council produced the following guidance to support local negotiations:
- Implementation guidance (PDF 77KB): includes the principles to underpin local negotiations, with supporting guidance
- FAQs (PDF 70KB): these frequently asked questions cover the national review of on-call and local negotiations
- Data collection tool (PDF 43KB): this support the consultation on the principles; it outlines suggested data that employers may need on current arrangements, to inform local negotiations
- Pay circular (PDF 394KB): this covers both the on-call principles and lease car arrangements
- Updated handbook (PDF 966KB): the amended NHS terms and conditions of service handbook that covers both on-call and lease cars
- The full report on the national review (PDF 518KB): this has detailed information about the national review of on-call including the review's remit, an overview of current on-call arrangements and the professions that are covered by on-call.
Updated guidance on lease cars
As part of the on-call discussions, the NHS Staff Council also agreed an addition to the existing guidance on lease cars in the NHS terms and conditions of service handbook.
This requires the employer and staff member to discuss whether a lease care is the most appropriate option for business travel – a test of ‘reasonableness’ - taking into account need and cost, before applying the ‘public transport’ reimbursement rate of 24p a mile.
Pensions position
In their December 2010 Employer Newsletter (PDF 363KB) NHS Pensions provided information about the pension position for on-call payments for Agenda for Change staff.