The new version of Agenda for Change (AfC), the Department of Health’s new terms for most NHS employees including IM&T staff, has been published, and will be voted on by UNISON members with a recommendation for acceptance. If it is approved then the new system will begin on 1 December, with some protection measures in place for those whom the new system might adversely affect. All staff, apart from doctors and dentists who are dealt with separately, are expected to be on the new system by September 2005. The ballot closes on 5 November and the result will be announced three days later. AfC is designed to clarify the roles of people who work in informatics and IT and introduce a new, formal pay level structure, based on job development. The Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF), on which AfC’s pay review structure is based, contains several ‘dimensions’ that would apply to people working in IM&T and related non-clinical roles within the NHS which involve handling information. Three of the ‘dimensions’ that deal with informatics are ‘Information Processing’, ‘Information Collection and Analysis’ and ‘Knowledge and Information Resources’. These ‘dimensions’, as with other skills in the KSF, are divided into four skills levels. The skill levels range from basic knowledge and application to complex responsibilities; for instance, in the ‘Information Processing’ dimension, the simplest level is ‘input, store and provide data and information’. To achieve the highest level, the staff member must prove that they can ‘develop and modify data and information management models and processes.’ Pay rises will be dependent on progressing through the various bands and levels and on continuous improvement, assessed by yearly development reviews. Health minister John Hutton said of the new framework: "Working with unions we have made significant progress to implement a pay system that ensures NHS staff are paid fairly for the work they do. “Agenda for Change will also mean that staff benefit from a new career structure, which will help them to develop their knowledge and skills and lead to the delivery of services that we need in a world class NHS." The AfC documents, along with the Knowledge and Skills Framework and the prospective NHS job evaluation handbook are available for download here.
