Daily Insight: A study in underpayment

Junior doctors could be causing a headache for trusts later this year – and not just through more strikes. A little known clause in their contract – added in 2020 – could mean some have been underpaid for three and a half years.

The issue is study leave and how it affects average hours worked for juniors from foundation year two onwards. Because many doctors end up only taking study leave when they are on “short days” or have to provide internal cover for colleagues on study leave the average hours worked can be more than shown on their rota. The same thing happens with annual leave and trusts routinely adjust paid working hours to reflect this.

But some trusts appear not to have done this with study leave – and juniors have noticed. A WhatsApp group on the issue is gaining about 100 followers a day and more and more trusts are facing queries.

If the juniors are right – and no one is telling HSJ they are wrong – this could mean big bills for trusts. Even a half an hour a week miscalculation would add up to over 80 hours pay owed per trainee. Someone get the finance director a paracetamol.

Radiographers could seek second opinion

The Society of Radiographers’ strike action could be ramped up if it reballots members, the union’s director of industrial strategy has told HSJ.

SoR director of industrial strategy Dean Rogers said the government’s refusal to negotiate over its 5 per cent pay offer – and higher awards given to other workers such as teachers – could persuade more of the society’s members to back strike action. 

Radiographers took part in a 48-hour walkout last week in a dispute over pay. The industrial action affected the 37 trusts at which the threshold for a strike mandate has been reached.

Mr Rogers told HSJ the SoR was looking at where the 5 per cent deal was holding up “and where it wasn’t”.

The SoR director pointed out the threshold for strike action was only narrowly missed at many trusts during the first ballot. He expressed confidence that staff at up to a further 70 organisations would vote to strike if balloted again.