NHS South-West Pay, Terms and Conditions Consortium

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Health – in the House of Commons at 11:30 am on 27 November 2012.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Daniel Poulter Daniel Poulter The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health 11:30, 27 November 2012

I fully agree with the hon. Lady and I take her concerns on board. However, because of the additional freedoms introduced by the previous Government, local employers in foundation trusts throughout the NHS have additional freedoms to set their own pay, terms and conditions. Under the rules introduced by the previous Government, it is impossible for us to intervene directly in the matter, except by continuing to encourage trade unions and NHS employers to meet the national agreements. If national terms and conditions are agreed to, I am sure that they will be endorsed at a regional level by the south-west consortium.