Government announces NHS pay offer

On the 6^th October 2022, the Royal College of Nursing announced their intention to ballot members for industrial action in a bid to secure higher wages that are in line with inflation and the rising cost of living. With the first of the strikes happening between the 15^th– 20^th December, the government have now put forward an offer for more than 1 million NHS staff to receive an additional pay rise.

Over the last few weeks, the Government have been holding formal negotiations with unions, that are representing NHS staff, to find a reasonable and appropriate way of moving forward in regards to pay. All parties involved were committed to finding a fair deal, that also acknowledges the wider economic pressures that the UK are facing.

In 2023/24, a 5% pay rise will be offered to NHS staff in England, as well as an additional one-off payment, which recognises the sustained pressure that the NHS faced following the pandemic and the huge backlog that it created. The Royal College of Nursing, Unison and the GMB are backing the offer, with unions encouraging its members to back the deal, after nearly two weeks of talks with ministers in a bid for the dispute to come to an end. From 9am on 28th March, RCN members working on Agenda for Change contracts will have their say on the pay offer.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

“I’m really pleased that after several weeks of constructive talks, the government and the Agenda for Change unions have come to an agreement that will provide a fair deal for NHS staff and put disruptive strike action behind us.

It is right that we reward our hardworking NHS staff, who showed bravery and dedication throughout the pandemic and continue to make phenomenal progress to tackle waiting lists. Importantly this deal is also affordable for the taxpayer and continues to deliver on my promise to halve inflation.

We have taken a reasonable approach throughout, and this offer is good for NHS staff, it’s good for the taxpayer and most importantly it is good news for patients whose care will no longer be disrupted by strike action.”

As well as offering an increase in pay, the Government have also outlined a series of measures to further support staff in the NHS to ensure that they are able to work in an environment that is free from deliberate violence, abuse, and aggression. As well as this, the Government have also planned steps to support staff with their career progression and development, in addition with measures to ensure safe staffing levels are maintained in health care environments.

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