Government: Pay deal ‘good for staff, NHS and patients’

The Department of Health has claimed that the proposed three-year pay award for the health service is good news for the staff and patients, as well as the NHS as a whole.

It has announced an agreement with NHS Employers, Unison and the Royal College of Nursing for all staff involved in the NHS Agenda for Change, including Allied Health Professionals, nurses and midwives.

The proposed three-year package, which incorporates the 2008-9 NHS pay review body recommendation, will now be subject to consultation by trade union members covered by the Agenda for Change.

It includes a 2.4 per cent headline award in 2009-10, a 2.25 per cent headline award in 2010-11 and further changes in years two and three to give extra support to lower paid workers and facilitate quicker progression up the pay ladder.

Alan Johnson, health secretary, said: “I am extremely proud of the outstanding professionalism of NHS staff and the high level of care they deliver for patients day in, day out.

“Today’s announcement recognises their tremendous efforts.”

He added that the security of a multi-year deal will allow staff to plan for their future and the future of their families, while also guaranteeing long-term stability for the NHS itself as it looks to progress with ongoing reforms.

Last month, the NHS Workforce Census 2007 showed an increase in the number of frontline clinical staff in the health service, with 6,625 more employees than in 2006.