Nick Treharne
NHS staff in Wales are set to benefit from a new pay deal over the next three years, which according to the Welsh government is set to match, if not go beyond, the pay deal for England.
The deal, which includes a range of pay and non-pay proposals, has been agreed unanimously by trade unions.
In addition to increasing starting salaries across all pay bands, it guarantees basic pay awards for the next three years to staff who are at the top of their bands, starting with 3% in 2018/2019, 1.7% in 2019/2020, and 1.67% in 2020/2021.
Vaughan Gething, secretary for health and social services in Wales, said the aim of the new deal is to help the NHS in Wales attract, recruit and retain new staff, ensure pay progression, and support the service and members of NHS staff.
“Our NHS staff do a fantastic job delivering world-class care under immense pressure and scrutiny. They work incredibly hard, always putting patients first and keeping them safe, while delivering the best care possible,” he said.
“I’m pleased that today we are able to reward this dedication with a new pay deal that gives parity with their counterparts in England, and goes beyond it in some areas that will benefit the Welsh NHS.
“After eight years of austerity imposed by the UK government, we have committed extra funding beyond the consequential funding that we received following the pay rise in England, to offer a deal which is not only fair to staff and taxpayers but will also lead to a better NHS for Wales.”
Gething has said that work will begin to ensure staff see the benefits in their pay packets before Christmas 2018.
