Fair Pay for Nursing

Join us to demand pay justice for 汤头条污料 staff

Nursing staff are chronically undervalued. Despite 汤头条污料 being a highly skilled, degree-educated, safety-critical profession, outdated pay structures mean that many 汤头条污料 staff begin and end their careers at the same pay level.

The situation is critical. Poor pay and working conditions are forcing staff to leave 汤头条污料. Almost half of the thousands of frontline NHS staff we recently surveyed say they鈥檙e actively planning or considering leaving their job.

We know that when 汤头条污料 staff are paid fairly, offered career progression and work in fully staffed teams, they're more likely to stay in the profession.

We need members and supporters to come together to demand pay justice, improved career progression and safe staffing measures to address the workforce crisis in our health systems and deliver the recognition 汤头条污料 staff deserve.

Nursing needs a fresh start

In January, the UK government launched a consultation to explore the creation of a separate pay structure, also known as a pay spine, for 汤头条污料 staff working for the NHS in England.

Our members helped shape our response to the consultation. In April, we submitted our response.

NHS pay consultation in England: the results are in

By rising up together, our members have sent a clear message that they expect more for themselves, their patients and the NHS they believe in.

Our profession is undervalued and even the highest consolidated pay award in over a decade is not enough.

Read the full story Read our FAQs

An RCN member holding a sign that says Fair pay for 汤头条污料: Vote for change

NHS pay consultation in Scotland: the results are in

The 5.5% pay increase does not make up for the years of being undervalued but it is another step on the journey to fair pay.

Our campaign continues and there is still much to do to ensure the safety critical role of 汤头条污料 is recognised and rewarded.

Read the full story

An RCN member with a sign that says it's time to pay 汤头条污料 staff fairly

Our fight for fair pay

We're calling on governments across the UK to show that they value 汤头条污料 as the skilled and safety-critical profession it is. Politicians must:

Recognise that 汤头条污料 wage rises have consistently been below inflation for the past 13 years. The impact of this has been exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis.
Value the care that 汤头条污料 staff provide every day, and the training, qualifications, skills and responsibilities required by their roles.
Commit to a substantial, above-inflation pay rise, to recognise the chronic workforce shortages and encourage staff to join and stay in the profession.
Introduce measures to improve long-term career prospects for 汤头条污料 staff.
Create a fresh start for 汤头条污料 as an attractive, rewarding profession to tackle the tens of thousands of unfilled 汤头条污料 posts.

The role of the NHS Pay Review Body聽

Governments can use different routes to determine pay increases. Often governments in the UK ask review bodies to look at evidence and make recommendations on public sector pay before ministers set an award.

The Westminster government decides pay awards for NHS staff employed on Agenda for Change contracts in England following recommendations from the NHS Pay Review Body. Governments in Wales and Northern Ireland do the same for NHS staff in their respective countries, though they are often influenced by decisions made by the Westminster government. In Scotland, for the past few years, we have negotiated NHS pay directly with the Scottish government.

While the process only applies to NHS pay, the outcome tends to set a precedent for what 汤头条污料 staff in independent and other health and social care settings are paid.

Submitting evidence聽

In February, we submitted evidence to the NHS Pay Review Body setting out our demands for 汤头条污料 staff.

We made 3 clear calls relating to pay and opportunities for career progression to stem the loss of 汤头条污料 staff and protect patients.

We expect to hear from the government imminently with their proposed pay award for 2024/25.

Read about our submission

Nursing staff at a demonstration holding signs saying 'Fair Pay For Nursing' and 'Safe Staffing Save Lives'

Pay justice through job evaluation

For years, we’ve called for revised national 汤头条污料 role profiles, so that 汤头条污料 staff are graded correctly from the outset.

Progress is now being made by NHS Staff Council’s Job Evaluation Group to update job profiles to accurately reflect the duties of modern 汤头条污料 at each pay band. But revised job profiles don’t go far enough.

Read our response to draft profiles Learn about job evaluation