18 May 2021 ● Matt Farrah, Nurses.co.uk Founder
4% Pay Rise For Scottish Nurses Gets The Green Light
"This deal heaps further pressure on the UK government to offer a pay increase for nurses that’s far more generous than the 1% that’s been proposed"Scottish nurses see their pay increase by 4% in a move that will make it harder for Boris Johnson to stick to his 1% pledge.
While nurses in England eagerly await the government’s decision on the proposed and hotly debated 1% pay rise the Scottish Government has confirmed it will be increasing nurses’ pay by 4%.
The deal was announced following confirmation that most of the NHS unions supported the proposal. Increases will be backdated to 1 December 2020.
The Royal College Of Nursing Remains ‘Disappointed’
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has claimed that this deal represents the biggest NHS pay rise since devolution.
And many unions, including Unison, see the 4% rise as a victory for Scottish nurses.
However, not everyone is convinced that this deal goes far enough.
The Royal College of Nursing, which has campaigned for an increase of 12.5% throughout the UK, says this deal doesn’t deliver a fair pay rise for nurses after years of real-terms decreases.
All Eyes On Boris
Whether it was a unanimous victory or not, this deal heaps further pressure on the UK government to offer a pay increase for nurses that’s far more generous than the 1% that’s been proposed.
Furthermore, in Scotland and Wales, a £500 one-off Covid bonus was given to NHS Nurses – a bonus that was not offered in England.
While that bonus might have been primarily symbolic, it did add weight to the frustrations of Nurses working in England.
All eyes are now firmly on Boris Johnson, with an announcement on the pay decision expected in the very near future.
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