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| NHS 5% pay offer may end bitter dispute in England | NHS 5% pay offer may end bitter dispute in England |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A 5% pay rise from April has been offered to NHS staff in England, including nurses and ambulance workers. | A 5% pay rise from April has been offered to NHS staff in England, including nurses and ambulance workers. |
| In addition, staff have been offered a one-off payment of at least £1,655 to top up the past year's pay award. | In addition, staff have been offered a one-off payment of at least £1,655 to top up the past year's pay award. |
| Unions are recommending members back the deal after nearly two weeks of talks with ministers, raising hopes the bitter dispute may be coming to an end. | Unions are recommending members back the deal after nearly two weeks of talks with ministers, raising hopes the bitter dispute may be coming to an end. |
| The offer covers all NHS staff except doctors, who are on a different contract. | The offer covers all NHS staff except doctors, who are on a different contract. |
| Health Secretary Steve Barclay said it was a "fair pay rise" which would also protect the government's commitment to halve inflation. | |
| "I hugely admire the incredible work of NHS staff. I look forward to continuing our work together to make the NHS a better place to work." | |
| He said there had been movement on both sides and praised the "constructive engagement" of the unions. | |
| 'Shame it took so long' | |
| Fourteen unions were represented at the talks covering nurses, ambulance staff, physios, midwives and support staff, including cleaners and porters. | Fourteen unions were represented at the talks covering nurses, ambulance staff, physios, midwives and support staff, including cleaners and porters. |
| The biggest three - the Royal College of Nursing, Unison and the GMB - have all said they are backing the deal. | The biggest three - the Royal College of Nursing, Unison and the GMB - have all said they are backing the deal. |
| Unite has said it cannot recommend it to members, but it will put it out to vote. | Unite has said it cannot recommend it to members, but it will put it out to vote. |
| Unison head of health Sara Gorton said: "It's a shame it took so long to get here. | |
| "Health workers had to take many days of strike action and thousands more had to threaten to join them to get their unions into the room and proper talks underway." | |
| She said if her members accepted the deal it would meant a "significant" boost in pay. | |
| RCN general secretary Pat Cullen added: "Members took the hardest of decisions to go on strike and I believe they have been vindicated today." | |
| It comes after a winter of industrial action which has seen nurses, ambulance staff and physios all go on strike. | It comes after a winter of industrial action which has seen nurses, ambulance staff and physios all go on strike. |
| The unions put further action on hold after the two sides agreed to enter discussions last month. | The unions put further action on hold after the two sides agreed to enter discussions last month. |
| NHS staff have seen a pay rise by an average of 4.75% this year - with the lowest paid getting the biggest rises. | NHS staff have seen a pay rise by an average of 4.75% this year - with the lowest paid getting the biggest rises. |
| The one-off payment starts at £1,655 for the lowest paid staff such as cleaners and porters and rises to just over £2,400 for the most senior frontline roles, such as nurse consultants. | The one-off payment starts at £1,655 for the lowest paid staff such as cleaners and porters and rises to just over £2,400 for the most senior frontline roles, such as nurse consultants. |
| For staff in management positions such as directors of nursing and chief finance officers the one-off payment is worth up to £3,789. | |
| An offer of 3.5% from April had been suggested originally by the government, but during the talks ministers agreed to increase this to 5%. The lowest paid will get even more. | An offer of 3.5% from April had been suggested originally by the government, but during the talks ministers agreed to increase this to 5%. The lowest paid will get even more. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| NHS | NHS |
| Strike action | Strike action |
| Unison | Unison |