The Scottish Government has offered a pay rise for NHS Scotland Agenda for Change staff. The pay rise would ensure that staff on the pay bands 1 to 7 would receive at least a 4% pay rise compared to 2020/21, with the staff who earned less than £25,000 in 2020/21 getting a guaranteed minimum increase of over £1,000 in 2021/22. This means that staff on the lowest Agenda for Change pay point would get a 5.4% increase. Those on the highest pay points will receive uplifts of £800.
The pay rises will benefit 154,000 NHS Agenda for Change employees – including nurses, paramedics, allied health professionals, as well as domestic, healthcare support staff, porters and other front line health workers.
While pay increases are usually effective from 1st April the 2021/22 pay settlement will be backdated to 1st December 2020 in recognition of an exceptional year of significant pressure for staff. This follows the £500 thank you payment for health and social care workers.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said:
“Following positive discussions with NHS unions and employees the Scottish Government has put forward an offer of the biggest single pay uplift since devolution for NHS Agenda for Change staff.
“Over 154,000 staff would benefit from this rise, which would see the average pay of a front line NHS Nurse rise by over £1,200 a year. This deal also includes support staff such as domestic staff, porters and health care support workers, the backbone of our services, who would see pay rises of over £1,000 – uplifts of between 4% – 5.4%. The uplift will be backdated from 1st December 2020, rather than the usual 1st April 2021, meaning all those covered by the deal will receive an extra benefit.
“This has been an exceptionally challenging year for our health service and I am pleased that the Scottish Government is able to recognise the service and dedication of our healthcare staff.”
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