NURSES, midwives and paramedics are to be offered a minimum 9% pay rise over the next three years.
The Scottish Government said its proposals would benefit 147,000 staff under the health services’ Agenda for Change pay system but would be linked to reforms to terms and conditions. This could include updating policies on sick leave and time-off for those who have worked extra hours as well as wider organisational change.
The news of the proposed pay hike came as doctors warned the NHS in Scotland was being “stretched to the very edge”, as a new survey revealed just 3% of them believe the service is adequately resourced.
Dr Peter Bennie, the chair of the British Medical Association in Scotland, said that although the Scottish NHS was not subject to the “dire working conditions and morale” seen in England, more needed to be invested to stop the service going down that path.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced a 3% pay rise this year for most NHS staff at the SNP conference earlier this month.
If agreed with the unions, and following a consultation with staff, employees earning up to £80,000 will receive a minimum cumulative rise of 9%, with those earning more receiving a flat rate increase of £1,600 a year.
The government said the proposals would mean that by 2020/21 NHS Scotland staff would be significantly better paid than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “Our NHS is built on the dedication and hard work of healthcare staff up and down the country.
“They are our health service’s beating heart, and I’m proud to be offering them this significant pay rise in recognition for the work they do caring for the people of Scotland.
“We were the first government in the UK to lift the pay cap, and today I can confirm we intend to deliver a pay rise of at least 9% to our hardworking NHS ‘Agenda for Change’ staff over the next three years.
“We’re doing all we can to recruit new talent and retain existing staff, ensuring NHS Scotland has the right skills and experience to meet future demand and rising expectations. Today’s announcement will help make our NHS an attractive employment option for many.
“In this 70th anniversary year I am delighted that we have been able to offer NHS Scotland staff a pay settlement which not only matches NHS England deal – but exceeds it.”
Emma Currer, Royal College of Midwives Scotland lead negotiator, said: “This is a good deal for our midwife and maternity support worker members. It will see them getting a real increase in their pay across all the pay bands after years of pay freezes and stagnation.
“This is something the RCM and other unions have been fighting for. This is a good deal and one that we believe is the best that can be achieved in the current economic climate.”
In a survey conducted by the BMA, just 6% of doctors questioned believe there are enough staff working in the NHS to provide quality patient care – 89% disagreed with this.
Meanwhile two thirds of doctors (66%) said “inadequate” resources were now “significantly” impacting on the quality and safety of patient care. A further three out of 10 (31%) felt the lack of resources was “slightly” affecting the service, while only 3% described resources as being “adequate”.
Almost 1,000 doctors in Scotland took part in the research, with seven out of 10 (71%) of the opinion the health service in Scotland had become worse over the last year.
Bennie will use a speech to warn that the survey shows the “stark reality of a profession pushed to the brink”.
He will add: “While doctors are delivering high quality care wherever and however they possibly can, we are stretched to the limit of what we are capable of. Perhaps we have not quite reached the dire working conditions and morale seen in England, but we are clinging by our fingertips from sliding down a similar path.”
Meanwhile 88% of doctors believe that without a “significant” increase in funding, the NHS will no longer be able to provide comprehensive care within a decade.
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