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Nurses’ pay: new deal expected to be agreed today

New offer could be a one-off payment for this year and a maximum of 5% for 2023-24, up from the previously touted 3.5% offer
Strikers at the University Hospital of North Durham

New offer could be a one-off payment for this year and a maximum of 5% for 2023-24, up from the previously touted 3.5% offer

Strikers at the University Hospital of North Durham
Strikers at the University Hospital of North Durham Picture: John Houlihan

A new pay offer for nurses could be on the table as early as this afternoon, as health unions are reportedly close to agreeing a deal with the government.

The offer will cover all NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts, including nurses, midwives, paramedics, healthcare assistants, physiotherapists and administrative staff. Sources have confirmed to Nursing Standard that a pay announcement is expected this afternoon.

The government has been holding pay talks with representatives from trade unions which together represent hundreds of thousands of NHS staff. They are the RCN, Unison, Unite, GMB, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).

Spring budget cast doubt on where funding for a pay rise for NHS staff would come from

It is not yet clear what the new offer will be but there have been suggestions it could be a one-off payment and a maximum of 5% for 2023-24, an increase from the government’s previously touted 3.5% offer.

However, chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s spring budget cast doubt on where funding for a pay rise for NHS staff would come from as no extra money for the NHS was allocated.

When invited to join pay talks a week ago, Unison said it had agreed to suspend its strikes and enter into negotiations after reassurances from the government there would be ‘extra investment’ for an enhanced pay offer and it would not come from existing NHS funds for services.

But following yesterday’s budget, it is unclear whether the government will deliver additional funding for an increased pay offer.

Nurses had called for strike action to be reactivated after budget disappointment

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has already indicated it cannot afford a pay increase above 3.5% for public sector workers in 2023-24. Any pay rise agreed above 3.5% that does not come with new funding will mean NHS leaders will face difficult choices on prioritising cash in the coming years.

On social media, nurses reacted angrily to the absence of the NHS from Mr Hunt’s fiscal plans and called for strike action to be reactivated. They accused the government of stalling for time.

A spokesperson for the DHSC said the government, NHS employers and unions had been holding ‘constructive and meaningful discussions’ but would not say whether there had been a change in position on funding.

Meanwhile, NHS Providers called on the government to publish its long-term plan to fund and develop the workforce over the next decade.

Chief executive Julian Hartley said: ‘It was disappointing that the chancellor had not announced further detail on the long awaited fully funded, long-term national workforce plan which the NHS so desperately needs.

He said: ‘We will hold him to his word on publishing the plan shortly, in the expectation that it will be appropriately detailed, with staff numbers, costs and funding to match. There must be no more delays.’


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