Thousands of CSP members tell government: 3.3 per cent is not enough

The letter, which union negotiators including the CSP’s Jim Fahie handed in this month, said staff felt ‘angry and let down’ by the pay award of 3.3 per cent for the current year.

Nearly 3,000 CSP members were among the 78,000 NHS staff who signed the letter.

Jim said: ‘I want to thank the members who signed the letter and added their voice to our calls for a pay award that fairly rewards the work they are doing under huge ongoing pressure.

‘The strength of feeling will have been heard and I’m grateful to members for taking the time to have their say.’  

The letter outlined the impact years of pay erosion has had on staff and the consequences for recruitment, retention and patient care.  

It added:  ‘We hoped things could start to change, and that your government would negotiate with unions and employers to agree a plan for improving pay.

‘Instead, once again you've gone with a pay review body recommendation for a real-terms pay cut. And using this process gives staff and their unions no say in the matter.

‘We say 3.3 per cent  is not enough.'

It comes as the negotiating period for changes to the NHS pay structure as a whole nears an end.  The CSP, which helped lead the talks for unions, will put the outcome to members alongside the 3.3 per cent award in the coming months.

The consultation will be for members in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. NHS staff in Scotland are in the middle of a two-year deal negotiated directly with unions.