Fair Pay for Nursing
Learn about our campaign and see how you can get involved
Join us to demand pay justice for nursing staff
Nursing staff are chronically undervalued. Despite nursing being a highly skilled, degree-educated, safety-critical profession, outdated pay structures mean that many nursing staff begin and end their careers at the same pay level.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 nursing. Almost half of the thousands of frontline NHS staff we recently surveyed say they’re actively planning or considering leaving their job.
We know that when nursing 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 nursing 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 nursing 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.
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 nursing is recognised and rewarded.
NHS pay in Wales
Our members in Wales can now vote on the 5.5% NHS pay award announced by the Welsh government.
Speak up for our profession and make your voice heard.
Our fight for fair pay
We're calling on governments across the UK to show that they value nursing as the skilled and safety-critical profession it is. Politicians must:
- Recognise that nursing 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 nursing 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 nursing staff.
- Create a fresh start for nursing as an attractive, rewarding profession to tackle the tens of thousands of unfilled nursing posts.
The role of the NHS Pay Review Body
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 nursing staff in independent and other health and social care settings are paid.
Submitting evidence
In February, we submitted evidence to the NHS Pay Review Body setting out our demands for nursing staff.
We made 3 clear calls relating to pay and opportunities for career progression to stem the loss of nursing staff and protect patients.
We expect to hear from the government imminently with their proposed pay award for 2024/25.
Pay justice through job evaluation
For years, we’ve called for revised national nursing role profiles, so that nursing 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 nursing at each pay band. But revised job profiles don’t go far enough.
Latest campaign news
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23 Sep 2024
NHS pay consultation in England: members vote reject
Two-thirds of members who voted said the 5.5% pay award isn’t enough.
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25 Jul 2024
New nursing profiles don’t go far enough, says RCN
NHS pay bands must recognise the skills and experience of nursing staff.
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17 Jun 2024
Band 5 nursing roles review
The process for the review of band 5 nursing roles in NHS Scotland is now live. If you are a band 5 nurse, you can now access the online portal to begin the application for review of your role.
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Our fight for fair pay in independent health and social care
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Page last updated - 25/09/2024