NHS workers Wales must receive a newly approved wage rise in their pay pockets as soon as possible, UNISON said this week (Wednesday, May 24)

Leaders at UNISON, the largest health union in Wales, have welcomed the Welsh government decision to sign off the new pay offer but say the money must reach workers without delay.

The offer consists of a 5% wage increase (payable from 1 April 2023) and an additional one-off payment for 2022/23 – worth between £900 and £1,190.

Earlier this month UNISON consulted with staff on Agenda for Change contracts (those directly employed by the NHS) over the Welsh government’s pay offer for 2023/24 and an additional one-off ‘recovery payment’ for the previous financial year.

A significant majority (78%) voted to accept the offer, with just 22% voting to reject.

All NHS unions then met on Monday (May 22) declaring the majority of health unions in favour of the deal and a final decision to implement the offer was made by Welsh government today (Wednesday).

UNISON Cymru/Wales head of bargaining and campaigns Jess Turner said: “We’re pleased the new pay offer will now be rolled out but it’s vital that it reaches pockets of NHS staff in Wales without delay.

“The NHS is one team. Every job and every worker make an essential contribution to patient care.

“Thanks to this deal, NHS staff will receive their pay rise much sooner than in previous years. This sets an expectation for the way NHS pay is approached in future in Wales.”

PLAID CYMRU politicians have expressed grave concerns as waiting times for ambulances in west Wales continue to fall short of Welsh Government targets.
Data released this week (May 18) by the Welsh Government showed that during April 2023 only 46.8% of immediately life-threatening incidents within the Hywel Dda Health Board area were attended within 8 minutes. There is currently a target for 65% of such severe ‘red’ calls to have a response within 8 minutes.
Figures for west Wales fell below national average – with just over half (53%) of ‘red’ calls across Wales responded to within 8 minutes. In the neighbouring Powys Teaching Health Board, 42.6% of such emergency calls were attended to within the target 8 minutes.
The latest NHS figures also showed that at the end of March 2023, 31,700 patients’ pathways were waiting more than two years for treatment – falling around 5,000 from the previous month.
The Welsh Government had previously set a target that no-one would be waiting for more than 2 years for treatment as at the end of March 2023.
Earlier this year, Plaid Cymru published its five-point plan to help tackle the crisis in the NHS, but this was voted down by Labour.
Responding to the figures, Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for Mid & West Wales said: “These latest ambulance response times continue to be alarming. Now we’re into spring, it’s clear that we’re no longer talking about seasonal pressures – but rather a deep-rooted inability to get to grips with the grid-lock in our NHS.
“The figures sadly reflect a growing trend I’m regularly seeing in my inbox and on the doorstep, with constituents across west Wales citing lengthy delays for an ambulance – often with devastating consequences. Whilst I am aware of the unprecedented pressures the pandemic has placed on our hardworking NHS staff and services, clearly urgent action needs to be undertaken to overcome these problems.”
Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, Plaid Cymru’s Health spokesperson added: “Welsh Government’s inability to improve waiting times sufficiently for patients – missing their own targets in the process, and even showing apparent denial that they weren’t on course to meet them – raises serious questions about Labour’s credibility in terms of running the health service. I don’t think it’s impossible for us to put together a vision and to deliver on that vision in a way that delivers better healthcare than we currently see being delivered here in Wales today. But when Labour can’t manage to reach their own targets, it’s hard to have any confidence in their ability to fix these issues.”

SWANSEA CROWN COURT is currently hearing a case involving Primrose James, a 51-year-old nurse from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who stands accused of assaulting an elderly and vulnerable patient at Withybush General Hospital.

The incident in question allegedly took place on May 31, 2022.

James faces charges of ill-treatment of a person lacking capacity.

The court alleges that she assaulted 80-year-old Dennis Warlow while assisting with his personal care, following an altercation with another staff member. James, however, denies the charges, claiming that his actions were in self-defense.

Dennis Warlow, described as a frail and vulnerable man suffering from Parkinson’s Disease, had been receiving treatment at the hospital’s orthopedic ward since January of that year after fracturing his hip.

According to witness testimonies presented in court on Wednesday, Mr. Warlow had a history of displaying disruptive and violent behavior.

The incident occurred when Mr. Warlow lashed out at healthcare assistant Holly English and James, who were working together to change his bed linen.

English testified that James became aggressive in response, repeatedly slapping Mr. Warlow on the left side of his face and forcefully poking him in the forehead with her index finger.

Allegedly, James also verbally berated Mr. Warlow, calling him a “horrible, horrible man.” English, shocked by the incident, reported it to leading ward nurse Christine Schofield, who subsequently informed ward sister Nicola Jones.

CPs prosecutor Sian Vaughan emphasized Mr. Warlow’s vulnerability and behavioral challenges during the trial’s opening. She outlined that James, an agency nurse who had worked on the ward for approximately two years, had been assisting with changing Mr. Warlow’s sheets around 2 am when the confrontation occurred.

According the CPS, James retaliated against Mr. Warlow’s attempted strike by smacking him on the left side of his face and proceeded to deliver multiple slaps, aggressively poking his forehead and forcefully pressing her fingers into the side of his nose.

During her testimony, English described James as angry and confrontational, while Jones affirmed that hitting or tapping a patient is never appropriate. James, in her defense, claimed that she only blocked Mr. Warlow’s arm from hitting her and had no further contact with him that night. She stated that he had been a difficult patient who had previously hit her in the face and kicked her leg.

The trial, presided over by Judge Huw Rees, continues as further evidence and testimonies are presented.

James, a nurse with 16 years of experience, maintains his innocence, denying any mistreatment of Mr. Warlow.