NHS pay bands (for dummies)

[crunchydatola]

I applied for a band 7 job (non-clinical) which they advertised as £33-£41k (I guess starting at point 28 here).

Is there automatic progression up the spine points each year?
Or is progression up the spine-points partly performance related?
Or else what is the process to progress up the spine points?
(maybe those red points in link are performance related)?
If you reach top of the salary point for your band, is it a matter of applying for a different role to get onto next band (or conversion), when/how do roles ever get reclassified?

Anything else I need to understand about how pay rises happen in NHS?

Thanks!

You seem to have nailed it there, annual moves up to the top of the band then you are stuck unless you can find another job at a higher band. You can negotiate on starting somewhere other than the bottom of the band however, and likewise if you threaten to go you may be able to move more than a point a year if you will be hard to replace.

Some trusts have however been down banding jobs to save money though, and there is variation between trusts. My better half works in industry but a few trusts have people doing their role in house, pay for which varies from band 8a to 5.

Expect a below inflation rise each year to your salary, but after five years continuous service if you have not gone insane you get an extra week annual leave per year (not that I have ever actually been able to take more than half of my leave).

You go up a spine point every year. Some places are talking about having to have your appraisal in order to do that, though. If you want to move to a band 8, you'll have to find a band 8 role available and apply for it. You can do that at any time you're qualified for the role. You don't have to get all the way to the top of band 7 first. If you are already in that overlap areas when you get a band 8 position, you will go up to the next spine point - you don't start back at the beginning of band 8.

Do you mind me asking how you've managed to get a band 7 post in the NHS without ever coming across the AFC system before?

The annual leave thing... that's carried over so they count total NHS service rather than continual.

Specialist IT and information roles are often band 7 and above and recruit outside the NHS because there isn’t enough internal talent. It’s very common to come in at a high band if you are not clinical you don’t have to work your way up like clinicians do.

Ah, I see. Thank you for explaining!

Thanks for (fast!) replies. It is a data analyst type role. I haven't even been offered an interview so this may all be wishful thinking. It does sound like salary-progression system I'm used to but I didn't want to assume would be similar.

Would be a paycut in first few years, and less annual leave, but has other opportunities. Any guesses on whether advertised FT hours will be merely FT or likely to be lots more than FT hours?

Depends, you will be contracted to do 37.5 hours a week. Sometimes like any other role there might be busy times where you’ll need to do more but usually this will be paid as overtime (for band 7 and under) or as time off in lieu.
I’m Head of Information Services at a London hospital and I don’t expect my staff to routinely work more than their contracted hours.

Annual leave is 2 days more after 5 years then goes up. I think it's a week at 10 years but definitely only 2 days for 5 years (I'm about to hit 4 years 

The pay bands are good and on the whole people are paid well. It's frustrating for those who get stuck in a band 5 job and have no progression as you're only worth what the job is valued at. It's also important to note that pension contributions are paid depending upon your pay (there are percentage bands). A band 7 would pay 7.1% pension.

I think it’s actually more like 9% pension contributions as a band 7. I pay over 12% as a band 8.

Thanks @gamerwidow - I'm a band 7 but was remembering my old band 5 pension. Sorry, yes it is 9.6.

Anyone around, @gamerwidow?

I got interview offer (hooray) but oh so much more paperwork (boo...).
Do I need to declare (appendix 33) the 3 points on my license that I got for speeding 6m ago? I can't find any clear guidance. Would prefer to avoid form B if possible. I'm clean otherwise. Thanks.

sorry to bother, I found the disclosure calculator myself. Thanks.

I would say no unless the job involves driving and driving disqualification means you could no longer perform your duties.
Good luck at the interview!

Pension is 9.3% over 25k I believe ( I'm.b5 and pay that).

Since the pay deal progression up the band is less clear. Traditionally you would automatically gain an increment each year (or have very easy objectives to gain it like completing all mandatory training as is the case on my trust).
However the pay deal means that there are now only 3 points to each band. You stay at the bottom for 2 years then apply to move up. What you will have to do to move up may vary in each trust but no one knows how this will work in practice.
Check out the nhs employers pay journey calculator. It's as clear as mud, hence the outcry one the deal came into force, however it gives an idea.