STAFF at two NHS medical centres in the Bridgwater and Burnham-on-Sea areas have missed out on a pay rise which the government 'promised' to deliver, according to an MP candidate.
Claire Sully, Liberal Democrat candidate for the new Bridgwater constituency, said that the government announced funding would be made available to implement a 6% pay increase for all GPs and practice staff, backdated to April 2023.
However, some staff at practices operated by NHS contractor Symphony Healthcare Services, were not given a pay rise over Christmas, as the contractor allegedly stated 'funds are not available'.
Ms Sully said that many workers at Burnham and Berrow Medical Centre, Highbridge Medical Centre, and North Petherton Surgery, missed out on the pay rise due to 'a lack of funding from the government'.
“We cannot trust this Conservative government to deliver what it has promised on the NHS,” Claire said.
“This latest failed promise wrapped in Conservative party spin will heap misery and uncertainty on many NHS staff at a time we look for optimism and comfort over Christmas.
“The Conservative government is dismantling our doctors’ surgeries from the inside, through the erosion of workforce pay and conditions which has resulted in a proliferation of staff vacancies, an overstretched workforce and a lack of available appointments for patients.
“If elected as your MP for Bridgwater, the provision of NHS services and GP surgeries will be a top priority with primary care a service which must be fixed.”
In response to the claims, a spokesperson for the Department of Health & Social Care said: "The government has agreed to provide additional funding for organisations with contracts to deliver NHS services, who employ their staff on dynamically linked Agenda for Change contracts.
"Whilst these staff are contractually eligible for the payments, the independent organisations are responsible for making them.
"Organisations will be able to apply for the funding and will need to show they have been negatively financially impacted by the pay deal, and that their staff are employed on dynamically linked Agenda for Change contracts.
"Funding for eligible organisations will be provided by the end of the financial year.”
Kerry White, managing director at Symphony Healthcare Services, said that the funding for a pay rise wasn't available, and said: “Symphony Healthcare Services was established in April 2016, as an at-scale primary care provider in Somerset.
"It was set up as an innovative general practice company that could design and deliver different ways of providing healthcare services to care for an ageing population with a growing number of patients with more complex healthcare needs.
"It has enabled us to care for our patients in different ways.
"We know these are challenging times for primary care with rising costs and high levels of demand, and we’re committed to paying our dedicated colleagues competitive pay rates when we have available funding for this."
The Conservative Party did not wish to comment on the matter.
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