News / 1% pay rise accepted

Doctors, dentists and all Agenda for Change (AFC) staff in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland will receive a 1% pay rise from April.

The Wales government has yet to make an announcement.

In parliamentary statements made on the eve of the latest industrial action by junior doctors, England’s health secretary Jeremy Hunt accepted the recommendations of the NHS Pay Review Body and the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Pay Review Body in full.

Juniors will receive the 1% rise in April. The rise has already been added to the new pay progression points in the new junior doctor contract, which the government intends to implement in August, the Department of Health said.

Consultants are also discussing a new contract and the Department said they aim to reach a conclusion soon. These senior doctors, together with their GP colleagues, will also receive a 1% pay rise.

The NHS Pay Review Body recommended a 1% pay rise across all AFC pay points and that staff below the top of their pay band should continue to be eligible for incremental pay progression. In addition, staff in Scotland earning less than £22,000 will receive a £400 top-up.

However, the Royal College of Nursing said the rise was inadequate and nurses could not afford pay restraint to continue. RCN chief executive Janet Davies said: ’The fact remains that pay awards for NHS staff have been severely constrained since 2010. As nursing pay has fallen further behind inflation, this decision will do nothing to relieve ongoing issues of staff shortages.’

NHS Employers chief executive Danny Mortimer said: ‘Employers in the NHS will welcome the acceptance by the government of the clear recommendations of the NHS pay review bodies. At the same time they recognise that the continued restraint of pay increases across the public sector is of concern to their staff and also restricts the ability to agree reform of non-medical contracts with staff representatives.’