Government risking below-inflation pay rise for NHS staff in England, CSP warns

The government’s submission to the PRB said a 2.8 per cent increase should cover both a pay rise for staff and the structural reforms to the NHS pay structure that are required to address a number of problems and inequities that exist and are harming retention. 

An agreement was reached in the 23/24 pay deal for the Department of Health and Social Care to issue a mandate to the NHS staff council for negotiations over the reforms to begin. 

The council, which is made up of unions, employers and NHS England, would then report back to the DHSC with recommendations for change. 

However, no mandate has been issued and in further evidence to the PRB this week, the CSP said trying instead to make the changes through the pay-setting would have dire consequences. 

Jim Fahie, assistant director of employment relations at the CSP, said:

It's back-to-front to ask the PRB to decide how much should be allocated to changes when we haven't yet agreed what those reforms should be, or how much they would cost

'It's also incredibly important that these discussions take place outside of the PRB process so as not to constrain what will be vital reforms that support recruitment and retention. 

'The 2.8 per cent cost envelope given by the government is already insufficient for a fair pay rise for staff - it is simply implausible for it to also fund reforms to Agenda for Change.' 

After the government submitted its evidence to the PRB at the end of last year, the CSP said it was the PRB’s ‘last chance to show some mettle’ and deliver a fair pay rise for NHS staff.