Supplementary Agenda for Change guidelines available

25th August 2005

The RCSLT and Amicus released the latest Agenda for Change (AfC) Supplementary Guidelines in August.

The guidelines outline the situation as it is now, in terms of work carried out in relation to speech and language therapy job profiles, and the work the RCSLT and Amicus are doing to monitor outcomes and provide support where needed.

The guidelines say the mixed outcomes from the limited results received so far highlight the inconsistencies in local implementation of AfC and the need for proactive management of the process.

According to the guidelines, while excellent results have been achieved in some trusts - with real gains for more junior SLTs, and senior SLTs maintaining or improving their current salary levels - in a larger number of trusts, senior SLTs (often the beneficiaries of the 2000 equal value victory) are being matched to levels that are lower than hoped for.

The guidelines also detail the national profile outcomes for jobs from Band 2 clinical support workers, through to Band 8c/9 professional managers; discuss the important points to remember in terms of developing job descriptions and person specifications; and examine the RCSLT's guidance on MSc equivalence. They also discuss aspects of the matching process, and how to argue a review.