NHS staff need a ‘significant and above inflation cost of living’ pay increase, according to the RCN and other health trade unions. 

The unions this week submitted a pay claim for 2027-28 to the Scottish government.

The claim comes with the message that negotiations need to begin quickly - by December at the latest – and be concluded in time for the increase to be paid in April 2027 and not delayed.

In addition, the unions are calling for a guarantee to protect the increase from inflation, which is widely anticipated to continue to rise due to economic and world events.

The unions also want to see Agenda for Change pay scales modernised in line with proposals agreed in 2024. The proposals cover areas such as incremental stages, the difference in pay rates between incremental points and pay on promotion.

Colin Poolman, Executive Director, RCN Scotland said: 

“The annual increase is nursing staff’s only protection against the inflation that continues to cause anxiety and stress for our members. That’s why we need to see a substantial increase backed by an inflation guarantee, all confirmed as quickly as possible. 

“Beyond that, with the Scottish government proposing radical reform of the NHS, we believe that reform of Agenda for Change is needed. We want to see changes to the pay scales that were agreed in 2024 but not implemented put into place as part of this pay round.  

“Reform is needed but it can’t come at the expense of nursing staff’s pay or be based on affordability. It’s long past time for nursing to be recognised as an investment, rather than a cost – yet, too often, staffing decisions are based not on need, but on affordability. This is a false economy; the price of unsafe staffing is high and leads to staff burnout, lower job satisfaction, occupational injury and, ultimately, poorer patient outcomes.

“NHS nursing staff deserve to get their much-needed and fully deserved pay increase when it is due next April, not weeks or months later.”