ProMed have signed up to become one of the first 25 Living Pension employers. The Living Wage Foundation’s Living Pension accreditation demonstrates ProMed’s commitment to helping workers save enough for a decent standard of living in retirement.
The Living Pension scheme aims to tackle low pension-saving amongst workers. Around 4 in 5, or 16 million, are not saving enough each year to meet basic living costs in retirement. It is also a practical way that ProMed can help workers build pension pots that are enough to meet living costs in retirement.
Living Wage
Professional Medical Ambulance Services Limited accredited as a Living Wage Employer in July 2020. During this time, the government minimum for over 25s was just £8.72 per hour. With the Living Wage commitment, ProMed’s staff received a minimum hourly wage of £9.30 in the UK and £10.75 in London. This was an uplift of £4.30/hr for the youngest staff working in the capital city! Healthcare staff deserve to be paid a wage which meets their everyday needs. Key workers are worth more than the government-mandated minimums.
Equality
Since The Equal Pay Act of May 1970, it has been illegal to pay men & women a different wage for the same job. ProMed, incorporated in 2017, has always paid the same amount regardless of sex for the same work. ProMed adheres to The Equality Act 2010, which makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate between men & women in their pay & conditions where they are doing the same or similar work.
It’s also unlawful to discriminate against a person’s age. The Equality Act 2010 includes provisions that ban age discrimination against adults in the provision of services & public functions. The Equality Act 2010 Schedule 9 Part 2 s11(1) allows younger people to be paid less, ProMed believes that a person with the same qualifications working in the same role, should be paid the same real Living Wage regardless of whether they are 19 or 59.
Living Pension
ProMed are now taking it one step further with the Living Pension. Staff need to not only paid fairly for their needs now. They need to paid fairly to look after themselves at the end of their careers. We should all be able to guarantee a decent standard of living in retirement.
Living Pension Employers commit to a voluntary savings level using percentage (12%) target. The employer needs to contribute a minimum of 7%.
Matthew Dinnery, Managing Director of Professional Medical Ambulance Services Limited said, “Our business, the industry we are part of, relies on staff to care for others, to make them feel safe & secure.”
“Staff cannot deliver the best patient experiences if they don’t feel safe, secure & cared for themselves. As a healthcare provider, we have a duty to our staff to give them a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work.”
“The Living Wage Foundation has accredited ProMed for over 3 years now. We wanted to take the next step to recognise the value that our staff bring to our business, and to our patients. The Living Pension scheme allows us to do that. We’re now giving our staff the certainty they need that they can afford to save for their pension, which will give them the retirement they deserve.”
Living Hours
ProMed are aware of the Living Hours campaign being promoted by the Living Wage Foundation
As providers of event healthcare, ProMed works in an industry that relies heavily on a temporary workforce. ProMed knows from working with staff & listening to them that the flexibility to be able to pick & choose shifts based on the time of day and/or location is usually beneficial. Temporary staff want to manage their commitments, their family time and enjoy a healthy work-life balance.
But we also know of the issues caused by uncertainty & unconfirmed shifts. This doesn’t just affect ProMed’s staff but the wider workforce across the industry.
ProMed wants to work with the Living Wage Foundation, industry partners & clients to provide certainty of shifts. ProMed keenly supports safe & secure working practices.