The National Professional and Technical Committee (NPTC) are currently researching the growing issue of de-professionalisation in the civil service. 

The committee has identified concerns among members that there is a growing trend in the civil service that sees some departments recruit staff in general service grades and then assign them specialised work, which should be carried out by professional and technical grades. This change has been without consultation or agreement. 

In the civil service, there are many members who are recruited to specific grades to carry out professional and technical work, such as architects, accountants and solicitors. To apply for these jobs, applicants must have certain essential qualifications. These roles have their own grading system separate from the general service grades with their own pay scales.  

To get a clearer picture of the scale of this issue the NPTC has sent a survey to all professional and technical branches. In this survey the NPTC is asking each of the affected branches to give details of numbers and locations of roles where this is happening in their area.  

Chair of the NPTC Committee Damian Fleming said: “We have identified common issues affecting our grades. Our members are facing a perfect storm, recruitment is falling, retention is plummeting, and career progression opportunities are being eroded because of this trend which sees our roles being systematically de-professionalised.” 

“If we allow encroachment on our specialized roles, we don’t just lose staff, we risk diminishing the standards of excellence that the civil service relies on. We must stand together to demand that our expertise is respected, not diluted." 

The NPTC are asking branches to reply to them with details of de-professionalisation by Friday 9th January 2026. If you would like to take part in the survey, contact your branch. 

Join a union that wins. Join Fórsa.