UNISON’s head of health has accused the government of ignoring the NHS pay review body, while doing nothing to end poverty pay in the health service.
The pay review body had recommended a 1% pay rise for all NHS staff, but the government has ignored this for staff working in England.
Writing today on the TUC’s Touchstone blog, Christina McAnea said: “Nurses, paramedics, healthcare managers, porters, cleaners, medical records staff and healthcare assistants alike have been sent a clear message by Jeremy Hunt – that he wants to cut further and deeper and they are the ones who will have to pay.”
NHS staff in England are to get a pay rise this year of just 1% if they are at the top of their pay band – which means that over two thirds of staff will miss out.
The 1% will be a cash sum and not consolidated, meaning that a nurse, paramedic, occupational therapist or accounts manager with seven years’ experience will receive a sum amounting to just over £5 a week.
Ms McAnea noted that Mr Hunt had also threatened to serve up more of the same in 2015, unless staff are prepared to trade their incremental progression and other terms of their employment.
With some unions already talking about “formal action”, Ms McAnea asked whether Mr Hunt was prepared for the consequences of ignoring the pay review body.
