NHS told to spend billions on reform or face oblivion

Christine McAnea, head of health at the Unison trade union, said: “If this rumour is true, NHS staff will be very angry. Their pay has fallen behind over the past few years and they deserve a decent pay increase and not to be treated with contempt by the coalition.

“I cannot believe that the government would be so foolish as to deny even a paltry 1% to nurses, paramedics and therapists – it would be electoral suicide.”