HUNDREDS of ambulance workers are to receive salary increases worth up to £4400 backdated to December last year.
The Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed that nearly 2,600 ambulance technicians and paramedics will be moved up a pay band following negotiations with trade unions.
In the coming weeks, 1,335 technicians will move from Band 4 to Band 5, and 1,259 Paramedics will move from Band 5, starting salary £22,440, to Band 6. Band 5 paramedics are paid £22,440 a year compared to £26,830 for a Band 6 employee, meaning salary hikes of £4,390 a year.
The increases will be backdated to Saturday 31 December 2016.
The re-banding exercise will also see the introduction of updated job descriptions to better reflect the modern roles of ambulance technicians and paramedics.
Pauline Howie, chief executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “I am delighted that new Technician and Paramedic job descriptions have been agreed in partnership with staff and staff representatives in recognition of the additional skills and knowledge our clinicians now need.
“The renewed job descriptions and changes in banding reflect the value the Service places on frontline staff and our commitment to developing our workforce.
“Patients will undoubtedly benefit from this investment as we work to further enhance the delivery of patient-centred care across Scotland, saving more lives and treating more people at home and in community settings in line with our ‘Towards 2020’ strategy.”
Scottish Ambulance Service Employee Director, John Riggins, said, “This is another fine example of collaborative working within the Scottish Ambulance Service, and I would like to commend all those who have been involved in the process. I look forward to seeing our staff continuing to grow and develop in their re-banded roles and throughout their careers with the Scottish Ambulance Service.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the national staff side representatives, Jamie McNamee (Unite), Stevie Gilroy (Unison) and Gary Cole (GMB) along with local staff side representatives, staff members and the human resources department for all of their efforts during this process.”
It comes amid an overhaul of the ambulance service in Scotland. The Scottish Government announced £6.3 million of funding in April to enhance paramedics' skills and enable them to treat more patients in the community and reduce the numbers requiring hospital admission.
The number of specialist paramedics in the workforce - those who carry an extended range of medicines and equipment to prevent avoidable A&E admissions - is set to increase from 32 to 78 in September.
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