Your employer has until 31 July 2026 to submit a delivery plan for this work. They have also been told by NHS England to communicate clearly and consistently with affected staff, explaining the purpose of the review, expected local milestones, how staff will be engaged, and where further information or support can be accessed.

Your employer has until 31 July 2026 to submit a delivery plan for this work and we expect the work to begin shortly afterwards.

The commitment for a review of band 5 roles in the NHS in England is supported  with a government funding commitment. This is essential for the process to be meaningful and has taken time to advocate for and agree with Ministers. There are lots of factors that impact government decisions and announcement timelines.

NHS employers in England will review all band 5 roles. As your union, we’ll monitor the process carefully at a workplace, employer and national level as part of the official oversight group.

The process of this review may differ between employers. That’s why we’ll be asking you throughout this programme of work if your employer has contacted you about this, if reviews are taking place in your workplace and if they are being carried out fairly.

The Westminster government has made a package of commitments that invest in the infrastructure of NHS career progression for nursing staff. They are detailed on the RCN website. They include a review of band 5 jobs in the NHS in England with additional funding available to support this review and the salary uplifts that come from it.  

We expect these changes to take some time to implement fully. Tens of thousands of reviews must take place.

These commitments are separate to the funding for the 2026/27 annual pay award and structural reform discussions with NHS Staff Council to address long standing issues in NHS pay structure.

Yes and the government’s commitment to review the outcome of the band 5 review programme of work provides us with another opportunity to advocate for automatic progression following a period of preceptorship.

In this review we want as many band 5 nurses as possible to get upgraded to band 6. It is a strong step and in combination with the commitment to a national nursing preceptorship and changes to Annex 20 nursing staff should not be stuck in band 5 in future as many are today.

As part of the structural reform negotiations, the government has indicated that an increase to graduate salaries should be prioritised. If this is achieved, this will not only benefit graduate nurses, but also other vital NHS professions such as occupational therapists, pharmacists, and speech and language therapists.

NHS employers in England will review all band 5 roles. As your union, we’ll be watching closely and supporting you.

We will share updates on when this work is expected to begin as soon as possible.

The process of this review may differ between employers. That’s why we’ll be asking you throughout this programme of work if your employer has contacted you, if reviews are taking place in your workplace and if they are being carried out fairly.

We’ll monitor the process carefully at a workplace, employer and national level as part of the official oversight group and advocating for you.  

We will share updates on when this work is expected to begin as soon as possible.

The process of this review may differ between employers. That’s why we’ll be asking you throughout this programme of work if your employer has contacted you about this, if reviews are taking place in your workplace and if they are being carried out fairly.

For up-to-date developments on band 5 reviews, visit the RCN’s webpage where information on timelines will be outlined when it is available.  

Your pay should accurately reflect the work you do. Shifting up the baseline for nursing is an important start.

Alongside the review of band 5 jobs, the RCN is launching new activity to ensure that your band reflects the work you do.

More information will be available soon about this work and how you can get involved.

Get to know the new nursing role profiles. 

We'll continue to campaign for your pay, terms and conditions to be fair. New NHS nursing  profiles have been released for each band.

Your pay should accurately reflect the work you do. We’ll empower and support you – no matter your band – to have your skills, knowledge and experience recognised and ensure this is rewarded through fair pay. You can request your role is evaluated by your employer against the new NHS nursing profiles.  

As the largest health and social care employer in the UK, NHS pay, terms and conditions have an impact on the whole nursing profession.

Our employment standards set out the pay, terms and conditions we believe nursing staff should have access to as minimum.

We'll continue to campaign for your pay, terms and conditions, wherever you work and whoever your employer. 

As the largest health and social care employer in the UK, NHS pay, terms and conditions have an impact on the whole nursing profession. 

We need more detail on the funding available to understand how these commitments will be implemented in Agenda for Change aligned employers. With detail on the funding pathways  for these commitments becoming clearer in coming weeks and months we will advocate for you to have equitable career progression.

We'll continue to campaign for your pay, terms and conditions wherever you work and whoever your employer.  

Nursing staff should have a stronger start to their career with these commitments. Improving career progression in nursing early in careers should continue to support nursing students joining and training in the profession.

Too few nurses are currently benefitting from structured career support right from their first graduate role. The Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for England will lead work with unions, employers and stakeholders to improve the quality and consistency of preceptorships – 1-2-1 support programmes which give newly qualified nurses the best possible start to their career – across the country.

General practices are independent employers. That means there is no specific employment model for general practice nursing staff. It’s down to employers and practices to negotiate terms and conditions with staff, often on an individual basis. The RCN is campaigning for dedicated government funding for your pay and to secure at least the equivalent of NHS pay, terms and conditions for general practice nursing. 

We have called for career progression for members in Wales. 

We have called for career progression for members in Northern Ireland. 

We are already supporting RCN band 5 members in Scotland through a job review process. Find more information and how to get involved here.