Thank you for contacting me about National Health Service pay.
I believe that the passion, commitment, and specialist knowledge of our National Health Service staff is part of what makes it so special. I recognise that staff morale is vital to maintaining staff commitment to services.
I fully support the mission to make the National Health Service the safest, highest quality healthcare system in the world. There are over 14,000 more doctors and over 13,000 more nurses on our wards since 2010.
How we value and retain our staff is critical, and I am very happy to say that a new deal will see a 6.5 per cent pay rise for over one million National Health Service workers over three years. This will benefit not just nurses, but all staff on the Agenda for Change pay scale. Ministers set aside £800 million to support the deal for 2018/19, and the Government’s long term funding settlement, which will provide increased funding of £33.9 billion per year in real terms by 2023/24, and will fund the pay rise over the remaining two years.
Following constructive negotiations between National Health Service employers and trade unions, a new deal will see a 6.5 per cent pay rise over three years for one million nurses, midwifes and other Agenda for Change workers. Those on the lowest salaries will see some of the largest proportionate pay rises. The lowest National Health Service starting salary will increase year on year from £15,404 to £18,005 in 2020/2021. Many nurses and healthcare assistants will enjoy pay increases of at least 2.5 per cent.
I am proud the National Health Service has once again been rated the best healthcare system in the world, something that is only possible thanks to the dedication and hard work of all healthcare staff, supported by a strong economy.
National Health Service staff are playing an integral part of the national effort to combat coronavirus, and we owe them a great deal of gratitude for all that they do. I know the Government is committed to supporting all staff now and in the future. Its unwavering support for frontline staff predates this unprecedented challenge. In addition to the 6.5 per cent pay rise over the three years, the starting salary for newly qualified nurses has also increased by more than 12 per cent and the Government has introduced a nurses bursary which provides at least £5,000 of additional support to nursing students.
The fight against coronavirus is a national effort, and my colleagues and I are committed to giving National Health Service staff the additional support they need throughout it. Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Yours sincerely
James Duddridge MP
Member of Parliament for Rochford and Southend East