Regional Pay: the only way is down - Lansley

#uHealth2012 The Observer reports on the Department of Health’s submission to the NHS pay review body in support of regional pay - "Current rates of pay in the NHS do vary geographically, but significantly less so than the pay of comparable staff in the private sector. The introduction of more sensitive market-facing pay would therefore enable more efficient and effective use of NHS funds." What this means in wages terms can be seen by looking at a recent LRD analysis of the realities of regional pay variations between the public and private sectors of the UK economy: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/apr/22/andrew-lansley-pay-nhs-staff

	% difference	% difference
	Hourly (£)	Weekly (£)
North East	31.0%	23.5%
Public sector	15.31	472.90
Private sector	11.69	383.00
North West	24.1%	15.1%
Public sector	15.54	475.50
Private sector	12.52	413.10
Yorkshire and The Humber	25.8%	13.1%
Public sector	15.31	458.40
Private sector	12.17	405.30
East Midlands	24.9%	11.9%
Public sector	15.48	465.70
Private sector	12.39	416.10
West Midlands	24.0%	9.4%
Public sector	15.60	459.50
Private sector	12.58	420.20
East	16.9%	4.0%
Public sector	15.72	464.60
Private sector	13.45	446.90
London	-3.5%	-7.2%
Public sector	20.45	669.80
Private sector	21.18	721.70
South East	5.0%	-6.2%
Public sector	16.00	475.20
Private sector	15.24	506.40
South West	26.5%	15.7%
Public sector	15.81	466.80
Private sector	12.50	403.60
Wales /Cymru	32.2%	26.1%
Public sector	14.86	463.00
Private sector	11.24	367.10
Scotland	21.7%	13.9%
Public sector	15.89	491.60
Private sector	13.06	431.70

http://www.lrd.org.uk/issue.php?pagid=100&issueid=1515