Johnson: proposed
three-year pay award is good news for staff, the NHS and patients
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release (2008/0043) issued by The Government News Network on 7
April 2008
Health Secretary
Alan Johnson today announced that the Department had agreed with
NHS Employers, UNISON and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) a
proposed three-year pay package for all NHS Agenda for Change
(AfC) staff - including nurses, midwives and Allied Health
Professionals - which will now be subject to consultation by
members of all the trade unions covered by AfC. The proposed
package incorporates the NHS Pay Review Body Recommendation for 2008/09.
The proposal includes:
- acceptance in full of the 2008/09 NHS Pay Review Body's
recommendations for a 2.75 per cent pay rise for nurses and other
healthcare professionals from 1 April 2008;
- 2.4% headline award in 2009/10;
- 2.25% headline award in 2010/11;
additional changes to the pay structure in Years 2 and 3 that
would give extra financial support for the lowest paid workers,
allow quicker progression up the pay ladder and increase the
earning potential for hundreds of thousands of staff.
Alan Johnson 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. A multi-year deal ensures security for staff and allows
them to plan for their future and the future of their families.
"It also ensures long-term stability for the NHS, which can
now push ahead with challenging health reforms with a greater
degree of security. Patients will see real benefits as the deal
fits with the planning cycle of the NHS over the next three years,
meaning the health service can focus on delivering improvements
such as reducing waiting times and tackling infections on a solid
financial base.
"I would like to thank the NHS Employers and unions for
their positive approach to negotiations. I believe we have worked
towards achieving a fair and affordable deal that is good for
staff, the NHS and patients.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling said:
"A three year pay deal gives certainty for NHS Agenda for
Change staff and provides further stability for the wider economy."
The decision means that:
- The minimum starting salary for nurses will now be more than
£20,000 for the first time [£20,224] from April 1. This is 24%
increase since 1997 in real terms.
- Experienced midwives will now have an earnings potential of
£32,653 from 1st April 2008 - an increase of 70% in cash and 28%
in real terms since 1997.
The Government is also today accepting in full the
recommendations of the Doctors and Dentists Pay Review body for
2008/09. These are:
- 2.2% increase for hospital doctors and hospital doctors and
dentists in training;
- 3.4% increase in the gross earnings base for general dental
practitioners (GDPs). This is intended to result in an increase in
GDPs income of 2.2% after allowing for an increase in expenses;
- increasing payments to GP practices for providing core services
- known as the Global Sum by 2.7% which having taken account of
the cost of expenses equates to a 2.2% increase in earnings;
- no increase in the protected income that most GP practices
receive. This means that overall impact of the Doctors and
Dentists Pay Review body is estimated as a 0.2% average increase
in payments to GP practices. It will allow the NHS to invest the
up to 1.5% guaranteed for primary care for 2008/09 in new patient services.
Alan Johnson said:
"We want to make sure that GPs work reasonable hours and are
fairly rewarded but this must be matched by further improvements
in patient services and access.
"This why we're honouring our commitment to increasing
investment in GP services by 1.5%, which is equal to £105 million.
Most of this investment will now go into improving the range and
quality of services offered by GP practices and into further
improving patient experience, for instance by expanding services
provided at weekends or evenings, or by making physical
improvements to surgeries."
"Promoting health, tackling health inequalities and
improving patient access are all priorities for us, and we will
work closely with the British Medical Association to assess the
areas of greatest need."
Notes to editors:
1) The proposed headline increases for Agenda for Change Staff
over the three years (2.75% in year 1, 2.4% in year 2 and 2.25% in
year 3) represents a 7.58% cumulative increase for the three
years. This together with the cost of restructuring gives a total
cumulative cost of 7.99%
[ENDS]