News story

NHS staff to receive 1% pay rise

Government sets out the pay awards for all NHS staff.

Following recommendations from the independent pay review bodies, the NHS Pay Review Body and the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body, the government has accepted a 1% pay rise for doctors, dentists and all NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts for 2016 to 2017.

Delivering a safer 7-day NHS for patients is a government priority. An important part of this is that the NHS has to ensure it has the right staff, in the right place, at the right time to provide high quality services across the week. The NHS already has 32,000 extra clinical staff, including more than 10,700 additional doctors and more than 11,500 additional nurses on its wards since May 2010.

Agenda for Change

All staff on Agenda for Change contracts, such as nurses, midwives, paramedics and healthcare assistants will receive a 1% increase in pay next year.

Junior doctors

The government is already implementing a new junior doctors’ contract to reduce maximum working hours and increase basic pay. Junior doctors will receive the 1% increase from April like all other NHS staff – and as they move to the new contract in August this has already been added in to the new pay progression points.

Consultants

Consultants will receive a 1% increase next year like all other NHS staff groups. We want to introduce a fairer contract for consultants that helps deliver safe, high quality care for patients 7 days a week. Constructive talks between NHS Employers and the BMA to agree an offer for a new consultant contract are ongoing and aim to reach a conclusion soon.

GP contractors

GP contractors will receive a 1% pay rise next year as recommended by the DDRB and agreed with British Medical Association’s General Practitioners Committee through negotiations on the GP contract. The 1% increase is included as part of the £220 million investment in the contract for 2016 to 2017, announced in February 2016.

Dental contractors

Dental contractors will receive a 1% uplift for pay next year. Their overall contract uplift will be determined following consultation with the British Dental Association on business expenses.

A Department of Health spokesperson said:

It is thanks to the care, quality and dedication of NHS staff we are beginning to deliver a safer 7-day NHS for patients. And in line with the rest of the public sector, we are pleased to announce that all NHS staff will receive a 1% pay increase next year.

The government has made clear that pay restraint in the public sector continues to be a crucial part of its plans to reduce the deficit. It is because of a strong economy the government is able to invest an additional £10 billion a year by 2020 to support the NHS’s own plan for the future.

Read written ministerial statement by Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health, on the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB) report.

Read written ministerial statement by Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health, on the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) report.

Published 8 March 2016