For Ferkin Sake
22-08-09
No wonder Wilt has such a high tax bill and why this economy is in such a ferkin mess. The Telegraph reports today:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6066181/NHS-staff-paid-overtime-when-off-sick.html
NHS staff are getting paid overtime while off sick!
For Gawd sake, beam me up Scotty and please stop the world and let me get off. What is wrong with these people? Here are some quotes from the article:
“The generous terms mean that when they are on sick leave they receive full pay, plus a selection of benefits. These include supplements for unsocial hours and overtime for six months, with half pay for a further six.”
“The deal means when an NHS worker – such as an ambulance worker, nurse, porter, or midwife – goes off sick they are paid according to an average of their total pay for the previous three months, rather than just their basic salary.”
“In many cases, workers have boosted their income by working nights or extra hours, or are paid a ‘recruitment and retention’ bonus, which can add tens of thousands of pounds to the basic salary of a middle grade worker living in London.”
And what exactly is the justification for this, someone please explain?
“However, supporters said NHS workers are exposed to unique pressures, with 56,000 physically attacked each year, and they deserve to be looked after.”
The article observers:
“The Telegraph has received allegations of NHS workers asking managers when their six months on full pay expires so they know when to return to work, people booking holidays and then taking sick leave to cover the time off, and posting photographs on Facebook of themselves out with their children while off sick.”
And:
“In the private sector, standard sick leave normally includes a short period on full pay, around one month or six weeks, followed by statutory sick pay paid at £79.15 per week for people earning £95 or more. In many cases employees are automatically put on statutory sick pay, once they qualify – which is when they have been off sick for four days.”
And:
“The Health Service terms and conditions also eclipse other areas of the public sector: police receive full pay for six months and then half pay for a further six, but do not receive any overtime. Teachers get full pay for 25 days off sick then half pay for 75 days in their first year, rising to 20 weeks’ full pay and 20 weeks on half pay after four years working.”
And:
“This is taxpayers’ money. The NHS has the expertise to get people back to work but they just do not use it on their own staff.”
This is outrageous – this has to change, together with the conditions of service for all local government, civil service and quango staff. No wonder Wilt is so poor.
As well as the contrast with the private sector a further comparison needs to be drawn with those who run a small business or the self-employed – who (unless they pay for private insurance) get paid sod all when off sick, take a holiday and in most cases there is no such thing as overtime or extra rates for bank holiday or other unsocial hours.
These people are taking the piss, big time.
Wilt (grrrr)