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NHS staff in Scotland could be significantly better paid than NHS staff anywhere else in the UK by 2020/2021, after the Scottish government announced that it will be offering a minimum 9% pay rise over the next three years.
Subject to agreement by NHS unions, Scottish employees earning up to £80,000 will receive a minimum cumulative rise of 9%, and those earning £80,000 and over will receive a flat rate increase of £1,600 a year. Staff not at the top of their pay bands will also receive any incremental progression pay uplifts they are due.
The pay rise will affect all ‘Agenda for Change’ staff, including pharmacists, nurses, midwives, allied health professionals and paramedics. The Scottish government said that if unions accept the deal, NHS staff in Scotland will be ‘significantly better paid than NHS staff anywhere else in the UK’.
The deal is linked to reforms of terms and conditions, including sickness absence policy, policy on time-off for those who have worked additional hours, and appraisal and career progression. Details of the final changes to these terms and conditions will have to be agreed by December 2018.
“We were the first government in the UK to lift the pay cap, and today I can confirm we intend to deliver a pay rise of at least 9% to our hardworking NHS ‘Agenda for Change’ staff over the next three years”, said Scottish health secretary, Shona Robison.
“We’re doing all we can to recruit new talent and retain existing staff … in this 70th anniversary year I am delighted that we have been able to offer NHS Scotland staff a pay settlement which not only matches NHS England deal, but exceeds it.”
The proposal will be put to staff in a consultation that lasts from 2 July 2018 to 15 August 2018.
