Unions call on government for ‘early’ NHS pay rise

The 14 trade unions – representing nurses, cleaners, healthcare assistants, physiotherapists, and other NHS employees – have written to both the chancellor and the prime minister calling for pay negotiations to start soon, to give the workforce a chance of an early pay rise.

Healthcare workers, not including doctors and dentists, whose pay is negotiated separately, are nearing the end of the three-year Agenda for Change pay deal agreed in March 2018. It was thought negotiations for the next deal would start at the end of this year.

However, the 14 staff-side unions have urged the government to provide the funding for a “fair and early” pay rise for all NHS staff, including catering workers, security guards and other support staff working for private contractors.