MiP Chief Executive Jon Restell responds to Health Secretary’s package of NHS reforms.

The new government has an ambitious ten-year plan to transform the NHS by shifting care closer to home and tackling the UK’s poor record on public health and prevention. But with multiple short-term challenges and little money to spend, ministers will need more than goodwill and good intentions if they’re to turn those ambitions into reality.

Agenda for Change, introduced 20 years ago, was supposed to put an end to inconsistency and unfairness in how NHS staff are paid. But staff shortages and tight budgets mean many staff are now graded below the level of the work they’re doing. It’s time to modernise the system, says Rhys McKenzie.

Steve McManus’s work developing the leaders and managers the NHS needs for the 21st century has caught the eye of national leaders. The Royal Berkshire trust chief executive talks to Matt Ross about transforming services, developing leaders and the right way to regulate the management profession.

MiP has welcomed moves to speed up pay progression for Band 8 and 9 managers and tackle long-standing problems with the Agenda for Change pay system that deter staff from seeking promotion.

Special Report: People in public-facing jobs are being confronted by more violence and abuse at work, and the NHS is at the sharp end. Existing policies are failing – we need a more co-ordinated and energetic approach to tackle the root causes and protect the staff who care for others.

MiP has welcomed a 5% pay rise for very senior and executive senior managers in the NHS in England, after the UK government accepted the latest recommendations from the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB).

MiP has welcomed the 5.5% pay rise for NHS staff on Agenda for Change as “a notable shift” and a “good starting point” for future negotiations.

Reflecting on our own assumptions and behaviour is the first step towards inclusive leadership, writes Ramima Khanam. By putting ourselves in other people’s shoes and learning from conversations we can help to create more inclusive and productive workplaces.

Being made redundant or looking for work in later life can be an unsettling experience. Lucy Standing, co-founder of older workers support network Brave Starts, gives her tips on how to explore your options and boost your chances of finding the job you want.