Thank you for contacting me about proposed industrial action being undertaken by the Royal College of Nursing.
Let me start by saying that I am extremely grateful for the dedication of nursing staff in very difficult circumstances over the last three years.
During the pandemic, nurses were on the frontline of caring and treating for patients affected by Covid-19, and we owe every nurse a debt of gratitude for the care they provided.
I appreciate that the challenge of working in the NHS during the pandemic, and through the current period when the demand for patient care is very high, has taken a significant toll on nurses.
And I am fully aware that the last few years have amplified existing challenges in the nursing workforce, such as the ability to retain experienced nursing staff to continue working in the NHS.
Extending flexible working is one way to alleviate these challenges in a number of different professions, so that NHS staff have greater choice over their working patterns and achieve a better work-life balance. It is important that local NHS bodies follow guidance from organisations like NHS Employers and the NHS Staff Council in this area.
On pay, please be assured that the Government fully recognises the cost-of-living pressures facing nurses, and this is reflected in decisions about pay increases.
The Government makes decisions on annual pay increases for nurses based on the expert advice of the independent NHS Pay Review Body. In making their recommendations, the NHS Pay Review Body considers a range of factors including the cost of living, recruitment and retention.
In 2022, most nurses received around a 4-5 per cent pay rise, dependent on where they are in their band.
Full-time basic pay for newly qualified nurses starting at the bottom of Band 5 will increase by £1,400 – equivalent to a nearly 5.5 per cent pay rise – to £27,055 from £25,655 last year. This means that newly qualified nurses will typically earn over £31,000 a year including overtime and unsocial hours payments. More experienced nurses at the top of Band 6 will see pay increase by £1,561, to £40,588 from £39,027 last year.
It is also important to note that the NHS pay review body has been asked to start work on making pay recommendations for the year from April 2023, which will consider economic changes over the last year.
Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue.