NHS Dental Nurse qualified before lockdown

hb2

What your employers are due to pay you is specified by your contract, what they then claim from NHS is not (should not be) your problem. Has your contract been amended during the current situation?

chaz333

The NHS issued advice to all practices stating they will take over paying employees during the pandemic on the condition that those wages remain the same as they were pre-covid so my practice is just doing what they were told by the NHS

chaz333

Contract has not been amended though 

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chaz333 said:

The NHS issued advice to all practices stating they will take over paying employees during the pandemic on the condition that those wages remain the same as they were pre-covid so my practice is just doing what they were told by the NHS

Sounds to me like they are allowed to pay you more, but the NHS won't reimburse them if they do.  

I think you should ask for a one to one meeting with the practice manager or owner and ask them to come up with a solution that means you can receive a fair wage for the work you are doing and your qualification.  

You could offer to be let go, see what they say?

chaz333

Yea I have asked but they use the NHS as an excuse so I might look elsewhere and suggest that I don't pay them the training fees back in exchange for not being paid properly 

Beeboo23

Have you contacted the BDA? I think they’re dealing with pay disputes for free right now, regardless of membership status or when you joined. I think you can also contact ACAS.

Also what split is your practice NHS and private because this will affect things? The stipulation from the nhs is that the practice has to pay you at previous levels to get the nhs funding. However, they are receiving their contract value in full they’re not being just paid individual staff salaries so I think it’s a bit harsh that they’re not paying you a full wage. It’s entirely their choice not to do so nothing to do with the nhs funding if you’re a 100% NHS practice.

The other side of it is if you’re a mixed practice the principal might be struggling financially and might even be paying some of the money to keep things going out of his/her own savings or taking on debts so maybe looking to keep costs as low as possible. I guess it’s hard when you don’t know the practice finances. A bit of give and take is required on both sides. If you’re concerned arrange a meeting with the practice manager and maybe get the head nurse or someone else to sit in on it if you’d feel more comfortable. 

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chaz333 said:

Yea I have asked but they use the NHS as an excuse so I might look elsewhere and suggest that I don't pay them the training fees back in exchange for not being paid properly 

Might be worth talking to a solicitor who offers a free 30 minutes to get thoughts on whether the requirement to pay back training costs has become an unfair term in light of the new situation and the fact that they are not paying you the correct wage for the job you have trained for. 

I presume they are expecting you to carry out all the duties and responsibilities of a registered dental nurse?  They aren't giving you lesser duties to match your pay?

chaz333

No job is the same as when I was trainee, doesn't change upon qualification 

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chaz333 said:

No job is the same as when I was trainee, doesn't change upon qualification 

Well it must change or there'd be no point in the qualification, presumably you had more supervision and less accountability while a trainee?

chaz333

No supervision, maybe less accountability since I now have to have an indemnity, but day to day the job doesn't change