Posted 01 October 2024 - 14:40
Posted 01 October 2024 - 14:40
News
NHS pay: delays to salary uplifts to end
Wes Streeting has triggered the NHS pay review process in a bid to get the pay award timing back on track. The health and social care secretary said he hoped to announce pay awards to health service staff as early as possible, following years of delays. He hopes to have a decision made by April 2025 and to have the process fully back on track by April 2026. The RCN has criticised the 'language of austerity' used when announcing the start of the process.
Wes Streeting promises health service staff pay award decision by April 2025 in bid to get pay back on track, but RCN is alarmed by ‘language of austerity’
Nurses working in the NHS have been promised next year’s pay award announcement in April 2025 after Wes Streeting triggered the pay review process for 2025-26.
Wes Streeting criticises previous government for delaying pay process, but warns of financial pressures
Writing to the chair of the NHS Pay Review Body (RB) on Monday evening, the health and social care secretary said he hoped to announce pay awards to health service staff as early as possible, following years of delays. This is the earliest the pay review process has been triggered in a decade.
However, with Mr Streeting’s warnings of a ‘challenging financial position’ and ‘£22 billion pressure’, the RCN said the ‘language of austerity’ meant they could not guarantee the college would participate in next year’s process.
Mr Streeting’s letter criticises the previous government for the delayed process for 2024-25, which did not see former health secretary Victoria Aitkin trigger the process until Christmas 2023, meaning that NHS staff are yet to receive their pay rise.
NHS pay awards set to be back on schedule by April 2026
Nurses and other Agenda for Change staff are due to finally receive the 5.5% pay award in their pay packets at the end of October. Mr Streeting said that due to the knock-on effect of the delays, the timeline would not be reset until 2026-2027 when nurses should receive their pay award on time.
He added that any pay rise must be within departmental finances set out in the spring 2024 budget.
He added: ‘My department will continue to strive to deliver on our manifesto commitment to build an NHS fit for the future, to ensure it is equipped to efficiently deliver the vital, high-quality public service we rely on, while ensuring value for money for taxpayers.’
The letter comes as members of the RCN in England recently voted to reject this year’s 5.5% pay award for 2024-25 and RCN general secretary Nicola Ranger called for all NHS nurses to start on band 6 rather than band 5.
RCN warns that ‘language of austerity’ undermines review process
Reacting to the pay round letter she said that the RB process was inadequate in setting fair pay for nurses.
‘The same way of working produces the same outcome – one that nursing staff have just said was inadequate,’ she said.
‘Our members need to see change – a significant reset in pay that demonstrates their value. In setting limits on the budget available for NHS pay, the government is attempting to override the independence of the [RB] process once again.
‘Shortly after the election, ministers rightly pledged to restore confidence in the RB. Today, the language of austerity and cost cutting is being used to undermine it. RCN members will be alarmed by this latest development and our participation cannot now be guaranteed.’
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