Health board’s decision to press ahead with controversial changes to nurse rotas branded “wholly unacceptable” by union

A union has said it is “deeply disappointed” over a health board’s plans to introduce a new rota system for nurses in North Wales.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) is behind the changes, which it says are designed to standardise shift patterns, break times and handover periods.

Over the past two months, the health board has been consulting about changes to the rotas of over 4,000 nurses and health care support workers across the region.

BCUHB say that the changes are “intended to protect the health and safety of nursing staff and to ensure that they are deployed in the most effective way.”

However the plans have been slammed by Unite the Union and Plaid Cymru politicians, who have argued that the changes could result in staff working an extra unpaid shift each month.

Unite Wales regional secretary Peter Hughes said: “Unite is deeply disappointed to learn that BCUHB still intends to implement the draconian and wholly unacceptable changes to our members’ nursing rosters.

“This flies in the face of the overwhelming opposition of both the board’s own employees and the wider public.

“Their actions show that the health board has absolutely no intention of engaging in any meaningful consultation process with Unite over this hugely contentious issue.

“We remain deeply opposed to the roster changes which are a fundamental attack on the terms and conditions of our members.

“Unite will redouble its efforts and pursue every avenue available to us to ensure that BCUHB thinks again and drops these outrageous plans.”

Earlier this month Plaid Cymru’s North Wales AM Llyr Gruffydd handed a 3,500-name petition opposing the planned changes to BCUHB earlier this month, a further 3,500 people have signed Unite the Union’s petition on the same theme.

“Last night Betsi Cadwaladr health board decided to force nurses and HCSWs to extend their shifts for no extra pay. The plan is to enforce an extra 30 minute unpaid break per shift, even though many nurses don’t have time to take their breaks as it is,” said Mr Gruffydd.

“The decision will save an estimated £25,000 a month – just 2% of the £1.1million it spends on agency nursing each month. For this tiny amount of financial saving, it seems the board is willing to destroy the goodwill of nursing staff that keep our NHS working.

“One in 10 nursing posts in BCUHB are currently vacant, meaning overstretched staff are having to work extra anyway. Many have told Plaid Cymru that they already work through their shifts or are on call in case of an emergency. This suits senior management, which has seen the opportunity to squeeze and extra few hours of unpaid cover from them rather than employ extra staff.

“Plaid Cymru has been at the forefront of fighting alongside nurses and unions to stop this rota change, which effectively means nurses and HCSWs working an extra shift per month for nothing, because it damages morale in a workforce already on the brink. Many nurses have said they will quit, retire early or take sick leave if this scheme is introduced.”

A health board spokesperson said: “The changes to nursing rotas are intended to protect the health and safety of nursing staff and to ensure that they are deployed in the most effective way.

“Making sure we have sufficient numbers of appropriately qualified staff to match the demands of our services will help to further improve safety and consistency of care.

“There are currently 100 different shift patterns in operation across the Health Board and a variance in unpaid breaks from no unpaid break to one hour 15 minutes.

“These changes will standardise shift patterns, handover durations and break durations across all divisions. As well as introducing a consistent system across the Health Board for the first time, we estimate that we will reduce our reliance on agency nursing staff and deliver £527,000 of savings.”

These changes will take effect as of January 2020 and the roster period will be extended to 12 weeks from the current four weeks to enable greater forward planning and to extend the period in which contracted hours must be worked.