SNP MSP Ben Macpherson has hailed the SNP Government’s salary boost for 21,694 hardworking staff in NHS Lothian.
Over 148,000 NHS Scotland staff will be offered a minimum 9% pay rise over the next three years – the highest NHS pay uplift being offered in the whole of the UK. This follows the First Minister’s announcement that NHS Agenda for Change employees would receive a 3% pay increase in next month’s pay packet and backdated to the beginning of the year.
Relative to staff in England, NHS Scotland nurses, midwives, allied health professionals and paramedics, amongst others, will receive a minimum cumulative uplift of 9%, and those earning £80,000 and over will receive a flat rate increase of £1,600 a year. The changes will be agreed between NHS employers, unions and the Scottish Government by the end of the year.
Welcoming the announcement, SNP MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Ben Macpherson, said: “This is an important SNP Government investment in the 21,694 NHS staff who care for us day in day out across Edinburgh and the Lothians.
“Currently, Advanced Nurse Practitioners in Scotland are getting paid £430 more a year than those in England, and if they secured a job those with a band 7 salary last year, they’d will see their salary grow by over £8,800 over the next three years.
“Not only is the SNP Government bringing NHS Scotland staffing to historically high levels – it is we are making sure that our healthcare professionals are getting the best pay deal in the whole of the UK and making our NHS a more attractive place to work.
“With rising living costs and financial uncertainty because of Brexit, it is vital that we stand up for what’s best for Lothian health services and the hard-working staff who go to incredible efforts on our behalf.”
Announcing the pay increase proposal on Monday, the then Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “Our NHS is built on the dedication and hard work of healthcare staff up and down the country. They are our health service’s beating heart, and I’m proud to be offering them this significant pay rise in recognition for the work they do caring for the people of Scotland.
“We were the first government in the UK to lift the pay cap, and today I can confirm we intend to deliver a pay rise of at least 9% to our hardworking NHS ‘Agenda for Change’ staff over the next three years.
“We’re doing all we can to recruit new talent and retain existing staff, ensuring NHS Scotland has the right skills and experience to meet future demand and rising expectations. Today’s announcement will help make our NHS an attractive employment option for many.
“In this 70th anniversary year I am delighted that we have been able to offer NHS Scotland staff a pay settlement which not only matches NHS England deal – but exceeds it.”
The Royal College of Midwives in Scotland (RCM) and the other Scottish health unions will now consult their members on the offer but the RCM is recommending acceptance.
Commenting, Emma Currer, the Royal College of Midwives Scotland Lead Negotiator, said: “This is a good deal for our midwife and maternity support worker members. It will see them getting a real increase in their pay across all the pay bands after years of pay freezes and stagnation.
“This is something the RCM and other unions have been fighting for. This is a good deal and one that we believe is the best that can be achieved in the current economic climate.
“However, we also see this as the starting point for better pay for NHS staff, not the end point. We will be opening a consultation with our members on this very soon. I would encourage members to respond to this and it is a deal that I encourage our members to accept.”
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