Posted By Phillip Brown Dear fellow NHS IOSH members! Has anyone out there been through the agenda for change process, and would be happy to share experiences and bands they have been given? I would like to know what jobs people have been matched against and also if people had to complete JAQ's? thanks for any info Phill Brown

Posted By Kim Sunley Hi My job title is H&S manager (for a PCT)and I've been banded as a 7 and matched to an Estates Manager (Projects). 7 doesn't seem too bad as I do not line manage anyone but I have lost out finanically (all be it a very small amount as the old London weighting has gone up under the high cost area allowance.) Still thinking what my next steps are.... Kim

Posted By JWG Not been banded myself as yet but what is really anoying me about it all is that it has been portrade as a mechanism to put everyone of an equal position on equal pay. What aload of tripe. It doesn't matter if I slot into band 6 or 7 at best I will still only have a very slight increase in pay upto the next pay level. Therefore the same gap will still be there. A colleague in a PCT doing very simular job will still be earning £8,000 more than me after I have been through the gender change process. The only thing that could put us on an even keel is that we could end up with the same banding, but that doesn't put bread on the table. My trust is the lowest paying trust in the region for salaries as a whole and I've been holding on to see what the gender change process will bring (apart from the forseeable waxing rashes). Now I know the farce that it is I guess if I want my desired pay then I will have to change jobs, shame because I like where I work. I agree with the previous remark that you should put as much in your job description as possible and do not rely on the completion of the JAQ to fill in the gaps. A clinical risk colleague has a very basic job description and has just been banded into 6 without going to a JAQ. How can a group of NHS employees that have no experience of your job evaluate your worth in the trust on such a small amount of information???

Posted By JWG Phil Just found out today by my manager that I have finally been banded (without going to JAQ) but don't know which band yet until I get the letter. I presume it will be a 6. Mainly because I haven't got things like writing policies in the job description, of which I do. I agree with your comment about the NHS could lose some very dedicated and skilled professionals but why should we feel that we are being pushed out because of a farce of a system.

Posted By Phillip Brown Barry are you happy to share the actual national job profile you were matched against?? Phill

Posted By Lesley Palmer Hello all I am very sad to report that I have just been banded at band 3 for my role as Health and Safety Lead. My Nebosh accounted for nothing and the panel notes said that I "may give some H & S training to new recruits" I 've never done that, what I do, do, is to recognise areas where instruction and training is required, write the policy and proceedures, develope the training programme then set up training. I undertake the H & S Audit compile the report, form a H & S plan and monitor it weekly. I chair the H & S meeting am responsible for the minutes. I undertake the majority of the Risk Assessments and advise on Health and Safety Law, I am also a Manual Handling instructor. I know somethings gone seriously wrong and of course I am appealing, but I am also looking for another job I don't feel that the NHS has much respect for Health and Safety Practitioners. My trust is heavy into debt, and insisted on all jobs matched by end of 2005. Judging from the amount of appeals expected ( 80%was the last estimate) it seems to depend on your Trust's attitude to doing things properly that determines where one ends up in banding. Best of luck to all Lesley

Posted By Andrew Wood I see in this months SHP there is a Occupational Health and Safety Manager being advertised at Band 8a. Anyone else been banded yet?