The Care Plus Group is a social enterprise organisation based in Grimsby. Staff provide health and care services for the NHS across Northern Lincolnshire. Even though the Care Plus Group delivers NHS services, its staff do not receive pay, terms and conditions that match Agenda for Change in the NHS.
RCN members employed by CPG took strike action for the first time back on 25 August after being balloted earlier in the summer. A majority of RCN members who responded to the postal ballot voted in favour of strike action with 93% of those who voted, voting ‘yes’.
Strike action is a last resort for nursing staff and follows years of below inflation pay increases. Unfairly low pay in the profession is driving chronic understaffing which puts patients at risk and leaves nursing staff overworked, underpaid and undervalued.
Sarah Dodsworth, Regional Director for the RCN in Yorkshire and the Humber, said:
“Year after year CPG have continued to impose below inflation pay awards on their committed and hard-working nursing staff. They have simply refused to negotiate with the RCN and other health unions on the 2021 and 2022 pay awards.
“Despite the fact that CPG delivers NHS services to people across North East Lincolnshire staff do not receive pay, terms and conditions that match Agenda for Change in the NHS. The social enterprise organisation continues to bury its head and completely ignores the burning issue of pay parity.
“It is now time for change and we are committed to winning fair pay for a profession that is so valuable to the community across North East Lincolnshire.”
An anonymous RCN member employed by CPG, said:
"More than ever people are struggling with the cost of living crisis. When you see the difference in pay between the NHS and non-NHS organisations, it's not surprising that people are leaving community health services or disregarding it as an option altogether.
"Without healthcare professionals in the community, patients will suffer and so too will their families. We help to ease the burden on our already overstretched hospitals and provide professional, personalised, and compassionate care. Healthcare professionals treating NHS patients do not deserve to be financially worse off because of where they work.
“If the government does not ensure that all health workers are paid fairly, the current system which exists will continue to negatively impact the healthcare that patients receive in our community.”
