Pay and Contracts

Pay and Contracts

NHS Employers

2 Brewery Wharf

Kendell Street

LEEDS

LS10 1JR

Dear Colleague,

The NHS Staff Council has just published new proposals for reimbursing staff when using their cars for work purposes.The Council sought the views of employers and unions regarding these arrangements. The NHS Sustainable Development (SDU) responded to the consultation by declaring a preference for option 1:a single flat rate per mile travelled for the purpose of work.

The SDU are therefore encouraged to see that this option has been accepted by the Council, pending approval by the unions and thank the Council for stating that it had looked at ‘the green agenda in all of the optionsit had considered’.

However, if the proposals are accepted, the changes will only take effect from 1st July 2013 which is disappointing. The NHS has set an ambition to reduce its carbon footprint by 10% by 2015. The scale of this challenge is huge and early action to adopt a different mileage structure is key.

This is the reason the SDUare urging NHS boards to consider further how car travel is viewed in their organisations. By influencing travel arrangements,boards have an opportunity to improve health and reduce carbon; the NHS SDU Carbon Reduction Strategy states that ‘taking action now will not only reduce the risk in the long term. Action now will also have health benefits immediately’.There are significant benefits to the early adoption of someaspects of these proposals. For instance, this could be done by raising the cycle rate to a minimum of 20p per mile, and reimbursing staff who use their carswith the current ‘pubic transport rate’ when viable public transport is available. These measures will drive down the transport spend and promote a healthy, efficient workforce and should be implemented well before 2013.

To summarise the proposals, there are 3 main benefits of the new system for sustainability:

-There will no longer be a direct link between the size of engine and financial reimbursement. The provision of any incentives to use larger size engines presents a challenge to the future sustainability of the NHS, the removal of which can be seen as a positive step forward.

-The increase of the mileage rate paid for cycles to 20p a mile was the minimum rate recommended by the SDU. By encouraging cycling, the NHS promotes active and healthy lives and helps to support sustainability within the organisation.

-The revision of section 17 of the Staff Handbook, regarding the reimbursement of transport costs states that a ‘reserve rate’ of 50% of the normal mileage rate can be paid ‘if an employee uses his or her own vehicle when suitable public transport is available and appropriate in the circumstances’.

In the response to the mileage rates consultation, the SDU made it clear that in the future a truly flat rate system across all modes of transport would provide a range of benefits: it would encourage behavioural change in favour of healthier lives, could improve the efficiency of the NHS,decrease congestion and it would reduce carbon production. This would still be the SDU’s preferred system of reimbursement for travelling costs.

Local arrangements are vital to changing behaviour within the NHS; only by finding transport solutions that are suitable to individual geographical circumstances will we achieve the best possibleoutcomes for staff and forthe sustainability of the NHS.

Trust boards should consider that:

-Alternative modes of transport than the car should be actively encouraged by individual trusts, and reflected in local travel plans.

-A rise in the rate paid for cycles prior to July 2013 would provide a range of benefits. It would encourage drivers to opt for cycling which would provide a cost saving by reducing car mileage spend. This in turn would support the increase for those currently cycling.

-Car parking arrangements should be reviewed by trusts to ensure that parking is available for those in need, such as disabled users, but subsidised car parking for the most part is removed. A realistic car parking rate is needed.

-Where individual cars are necessary, it should be investigated whether car pools or lease cars could provide solutions; this not only allows trusts to control costs but also enables them to select vehicles that are efficient.

-Facilities are needed for staff to make sustainable transport, such as cycling, viable.

-It should be decided whether public transport is available and accessible. If this is the case, the 50% reserve rate should be paid if staff opt for personal car use. This would provide an additional incentive to opt for public transport.

-Where appropriate public transport is not available, Trusts need to seek support from their local transport authorities and Strategic Health Authorities to improve the provision of these services.

-The need to travel to meetings should be scrutinised on a case by case basis; where possible meetings should be conducted remotely via means of tele, web or video-conference. Trusts should have specific policies relating to this.

-Flexible working and home working should be encouraged to reduce the amount of travel required.

In conclusion, these proposals are important for setting a precedent in the NHS, that staff will not be rewarded for using cars with larger engines. However, this is not enough. The NHS needs to be an exemplar by leading the population wide shift from sedentary travel to more active travel such as walking, cycling and public transport. Individual Trusts will have to lead this drive, requiring affirmative action such as setting incentives for low carbon transport above the rate agreed by the NHS Staff Council and before 2013. The threat to the sustainability of the NHS is with us now and needs to be acted on as soon as possible. Board level action taken now to influence the way that their workforce travels, will reap great rewards for those Trusts and the wider health system.

Whilst sustainability was not the sole driver for these measures, they are a step in the right direction.The SDU supports a flat rate mileage system, but to reach a 10% cut in carbon emissions by 2015 the attitude that NHS organisations take towards transport is key. The announcement should be used as a reminder to organisations within the NHS that the movementtowards sustainable travel and communication is in motion but requires a great deal more.

Yours Sincerely,

Sonia Roschnik,

On behalf of the NHS Sustainable Development Unit

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