Government must focus on sorting NHS pay now, says UNISON

Commenting on the news today (Wednesday) that the government has begun the NHS pay review body process for 2023-24, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said: “Ministers should be concerned with putting NHS pay right now, not trying to distract unions with the long, drawn-out evidence-gathering process of the pay review body. “Staff are exiting in droves and without urgent movement on pay, many more will follow suit. “NHS services are in a dire state, with too few staff to deliver safe patient care. That’s why hundreds of thousands of NHS employees have either voted to strike over pay and staffing, or are currently doing so. “Rather than pretending the NHS isn’t on the verge of a damaging dispute, the government’s focus should be on how to keep experienced staff in their jobs. They can do this with a wage rise that better reflects the harsh economic reality for working people.” Notes to editors: – In July, the government in Westminster announced that most NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts (NHS terms and conditions) in England would get a pay rise of £1,400, in line with the recommendation of the NHS pay review body. This amounted to a 4.75% increase to the NHS pay bill. Health workers had been due a wage rise on 1 April 2022. Health workers in Wales got the same award. The health minister in Northern Ireland said he wanted to implement the same award but couldn’t because of the political stalemate, so NHS workers there have had no pay rise a...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: News Press release nhs pay pay review body Put NHS pay right Source Type: news