Trust to ease cost-of-living crisis for colleagues following care home restructure

The restructuring was implemented across the Trust on 1 July and the Trust is pleased to announce that 552 members of staff, representing 96% of its care home workforce, have now signed up to the new terms and conditions.

This outcome has resulted from more than five months of careful consultation with the staff concerned and a guarantee from the Trust that nobody agreeing to the new terms would see any reduction in their take-home pay for at least two years.

The consultation will soon move into its final stage and the Trust sincerely hopes that the few remaining staff will now join their colleagues in accepting the new arrangements.

All staff at the St Monica Trust received a pay rise of 4% in April and front-line care home staff saw pay rates further increased above the inflation rate after the restructuring was implemented in July.

The Trust has now decided to go even further. It will mark the implementation of its new care home structure by providing further financial assistance to all its 1,500 staff

• From 1 October 2022, it will increase its minimum rate of pay to £9.90 per hour.
• This compares with the average hourly pay across independent care homes in England of £9.01 per hour, where 78% of staff are paid below the current National Living Wage of £8.72.
• The Trust will now make a one-off payment of £250 to every member of staff to help them with the cost-of-living crisis.

Chief Executive of the St Monica Trust, David Williams: “This is an important step towards becoming a Real Living Wage employer, while offering a package of enhancements that exceed the industry standards for the health and social care sector.

“Increasing our minimum rate of pay, along with the £250 cost-of-living support, has been made possible by the efficiencies arising from our restructuring. It further demonstrates the Trust’s appreciation of the deep dedication of our staff to providing excellent care for our 1,200 residents.”