Unite urged to take ‘fair and balanced’ approach on healthcare claim that could impact ‘hundreds of workers’

The Gibraltar Government and the GHA have called on Unite to “reframe” a claim by Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) into a wider review of its Agenda for Change framework, arguing the issues raised by this staff group could impact hundreds of other GHA workers across multiple disciplines.

Unite said its AHP members in the GHA and Elderly Residential Services would demonstrate next Thursday over a pay parity claim submitted in June 2024.

The claim includes three key elements, namely pay parity with comparable roles in the UK; mechanisms to address pay inequality when compared to other clinical roles in the GHA; and a shorter pay scale to reflect the UK and facilitate quicker progression through the pay scales.

The affected AHP professionals represented by Unite include orthoptists, dieticians, speech and language therapists, radiographers, biomedical scientists, pharmacists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.

The Government and the GHA said they fully recognise and value the essential role that AHPs play in delivering healthcare, adding that their contributions are “a critical component to the integrated healthcare model”, alongside those of the medical and nursing professions.

They said the GHA remained open to considering the merits of the AHPs’ claims.

“However, it has assessed that the core issues underpinning the claim stem from the broader implementation of the GHA’s Agenda for Change framework; a model aligned with that of the UK’s National Health Service,” the Government said in a statement.

“As such, the implications of any changes extend beyond AHPs and could affect hundreds of GHA staff across multiple disciplines.”

“Given the wider impact, the GHA considers it inappropriate to engage in negotiations limited to AHPs on issues that could materially affect other staff groups without affording them equivalent opportunities for consultation and representation.”

The GHA and the Government requested that the union’s claim be reframed within the broader scope of an Agenda for Change review.

“This approach ensures that all affected staff, which encompass AHPs as well as others, can contribute meaningfully to the discussion,” the statement said.

“While the Government and GHA understand that Unite is a member-led organisation and appreciate that AHPs feel strongly about their position, both institutions believe that the most constructive path forward is through the established and inclusive forum that tackles Agenda for Change holistically across all relevant staffing groups.”

“This will allow for a balanced, fair, and sustainable resolution that considers the interests of the entire GHA workforce.”