NHS moving from top band 5 to bottom band 6

[Kevinthesnipe]

I’ve been a band 5 for many years and have a possible opportunity to move up a band. Does anyone know if I have to start at the bottom of band 6 payscale? Or can I negotiate to start at the midpoint?
If I have to start at the bottom it’s approx £800 a year pay rise but due to my enhancements that I get in my current role I’m actually approx £2000 a year worse off. So around £100 a month worse off but with higher responsibilities.
Im wondering if it’s actually worth even going for the interview at the moment.
Anyone else had this?

You'd have to check your own trust's policy but usually you start at the bottom, IME there's very little wriggle room in these cash strapped days I'm afraid (sometimes there's some flexibility for external candidates to start at mid point but not NHS/internal moves) - I hear you on the loss of enhancements but I guess the quid pro quo is you don't have to work the unsocial hours shifts or whatever any more. And in however many years it is you get the next paystep so it is more overall. If you are a nurse/clinician can you pick up the odd bank/agency night or weekend shift around the B6 role to make up the difference, this is how many people I know manage the loss of enhancements when they go up a band? Or will there be overtime opportunities?

I think it depends what the job is, is it a specialist role?
I know of nurses going into specialists roles whose senior managers managed to negotiate mid band 6 for them as they are working towards a prescribing qualification and working autonomously.
If it is for a band 6 ward based role I doubt it would be possible.

In my experience you are appointed to the point above your current wage
So going from top band 5 would expect to be about point 3 on band 6 but it's an easy question to ask at interview
Good luck

I did it and was bizarrely worse off. Initially because I was doing less unsocial hours. As I needed to be in charge during the week. But after that was sorted it didn't improve. I couldn't work out why. I hated being a band 6 anyway. So stopped extending my secondment. And much happier as a band 5. I also do agency, which is very easy money.

This used to be the case when the bands overlapped (so bottom Band 6 was actually below top 5) so the 'rule' was always move 'across and up one' but they changed it a few years ago so there are fewer pay steps within each band and they don't overlap any more. Now you (usually) just move across from wherever you are in the band below to the bottom of the new band and it's always a theoretical pay rise although as OP as found, if you lose pay enhancements and overtime and so on it can negate the payrise in real terms. I think a lot of trusts have found this a problem with Band 7s moving to 8As for instance and I wouldn't be surprised if some are still moving people around within the bands to try and compensate, but my trust is pretty strict on this being an absolute no. I agree it's worth asking the question.

They changed all the increments a few years ago to stop top of bands earning more than higher bands. Before you would go to mid Band 6 and your salary would be the same as a top B5 as a B6 point 3 I think.

Now the increments are further apart with no overlap.
But if I were you ask, argue your case about financial loss especially in the current climate. Do this via your line manager not HR though, they won't have any flexibility and would put you on bottom B6, no negotiating. If you don't ask you won't get. The current situation with staff retention and the NHS plays to your favour.

I have just negotiated my increment with a new job, got exactly what I wanted no problems. My argument was I really could not afford to take the post if I didn't get paid X.

Thanks all. I’m looking to move from a community nurse band 5 to a specialist nurse role. I’ve over 10years experience and really wanted to try and push myself professionally and maybe not have to work of a weekend, however it looks like I’ll have to pick up a bank weekend to cover a drop in wages which kind of defeats the point.
I’d have to wait in post for 2 years for a decent pay increase which seems ridiculous as I hit top of 5 over 4 years ago.

Try and negotiate. Sell yourself. Really you are in a much stronger position than the NHS is right now!

If I remember correctly when I moved from b5 to b6 I moved across and up one increment, this was 2017 x

OP I feel for you- just another ridiculous thing about nursing now.
Honestly I would apply and if offered the job explain that you couldn’t take the financial hit and see if HR would consider starting you at the mid point, if it’s a niche area and you have loads of experience they might!

The long wait for an increment was one reason I steeped down.