Three-year pay offer announced for NHS staff in Wales

The offer, announced today by the Wales Government and negotiated with health unions including the CSP, mirrors the offer recently agreed in England, although there are some differences.

The proposals are made up of a number of parts:

• Structural reform of Agenda for Change and a pay rise of at least 6.5 per cent over the next three years for most members (bands 2 – 8C)
• Higher starting salaries for staff in every pay band by removing overlapping pay points, getting rid of the lowest pay points while keeping the top ones (this should assist with recruitment and maintain better staffing levels).
• Reducing the number of pay points in bands 2-7 means it takes fewer years to get to the top of your band so there will be bigger rises for those still progressing through the pay system.
• Members at the top of their band will receive an additional 1.1% lump sum in 2019/20
• A new minimum basic pay rate in the NHS of £17,460, from 1 April 2018, and the lowest starting NHS salary increases to £18,005 in 20/21.
• The offer is separately funded and so will not be financed from existing NHS budgets, avoiding extra strain on patient services.
• At the end of the three years NHS pay in Wales will be aligned to NHS pay in England.

The offer will now be put to members through a consultation process during July and August.  This will include workplace meetings for members and an on-line vote for all those employed by the NHS in Wales. The CSP‘s lay member council working group on pay is recommending the offer to members.

'We believe the offer is the best that can be achieved by negotiation and worthy of recommendation,’ said Claire Sullivan, CSP director of employment relations and union services.

‘It isn’t everything we believe our members deserve but it is a good start towards recovering pay levels.

‘The proposals also begin to show the recognition that our members and all other NHS staff deserve for the contribution they continue to make under ever-growing pressure. 

‘As always the final decision is for our members to make so we are now launching a full consultation with members.

‘We encourage everyone employed in the NHS in Wales to engage with the process to have their say.’

More detail on the offer will be available on the CSP website in the coming days – www.csp.org.uk/nhspay

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