More than one million NHS staff, including nurses, porters and paramedics, are being offered increases of at least 6.5% over three years - with some getting as much as 29%.
The deal has been formally agreed by union leaders
and ministers on Wednesday and will cost over £4.2bn.
Staff will now be asked to vote on the deal, with rises backdated to April if they agree by the summer.
The deal is tiered with the lowest-paid in each job receiving the biggest rise.
The agreement covers all staff on the Agenda for Change contract - about 1.3m across the UK - which is the entire workforce with the exception of
doctors, dentists and senior leaders.
'It won't solve every problem'
The agreement is complex. It means that:
half will get a 6.5% pay rise over three years
the other half will receive rises of between 9% and 29% because they are not at the top of their pay bands the lowest full-time salary - paid to the likes of cleaners, porters and catering staff - will rise
by 15% to more than £18,000
these groups will get an immediate £2,000 rise this year a nurse with one year's experience would see their basic pay rise by 21% over three years, giving them a salary of up to £27,400
the deal includes a commitment on both sides to reduce the high rate of sickness absence in the NHS
Sara Gorton, lead negotiator for the health unions, said: "It won't solve every problem in the NHS but it will go a long way towards making dedicated health staff feel more valued, lift flagging morale and help turn the tide on staffing problems."
Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, said "compromises" have had to be made but he predicts the deal will make the NHS a "desirable" employer once again.
No comments:
Post a Comment