NHS trust faces possible legal challenge over plans to slash staff
mileage rates
25 January 2012
Northumbria NHS Foundation Trust could face legal action over
plans that could see staff being hundreds of pounds worse off when
they use their own cars for work purposes.
Unite, the largest union in the country, said plans by the trust
to put health visitors, midwives, community nursery nurses,
district nurses and speech and language therapists on the public
transport rate assumes that NHS professionals should be using
trains and buses to visit patients and clients in a predominately
rural area.
The trust has told staff that from 1 April they will be paid 24p
a mile – the public transport rate – and not the current 47p a mile
when they use their vehicle for work purposes.
Unite regional officer, Martin Wright said: ‘I am very
disappointed that management are imposing this after a failure to
agree with the trades unions. This is being imposed unilaterally.
They are offering the lease car option for staff, instead of paying
the proper private mileage rate, but that may not be suitable or
financially feasible for everyone.’
‘If the trust presses ahead with this, it could face a legal
challenge for unlawful deduction of wages at an employment
tribunal.’
‘Northumberland is a very rural county and many health staff
need their cars to do their jobs. At a time when, petrol prices are
at a record high and the cost of motoring entering the realms of
the prohibitive, the trust’s plans are unacceptable.’
‘This would cost our members hundreds of pounds a year just to
do their jobs.’
Unite national officer for health, Barrie Brown said: ‘This
proposal will be to detriment of health staff, and ultimately, the
patients they serve, and be contrary to the letter and spirit of
the national Agenda for Change agreement.’
‘If this trust is intent on imposing the public transport rate –
i.e. that it would be more appropriate to travel by bus or train –
you could have the hypothetical case of a community midwife,
waiting in the rain for a late-running bus, while a woman goes into
labour. This would be plainly unacceptable, if not bizarre.’
-ends-
Note to news editors:
For further information, please contact, Martin Wright on 07768
931 242 / Barrie Brown on 07798 531 022 and/or Unite communications
officer, Shaun Noble on 07768 693 940
NHS terms and conditions service handbook states:
Public transport mileage rate
17.10 Standard or regular user rates of mileage allowance shall
not apply if an employee uses a private motor vehicle in
circumstances where travel by public transport would be
appropriate.
