NHS PAY DOWN NEARLY A 3RD UNDER TORIES
Many suffer wage cut in real terms after inflation
SOME NHS staff have had realterms pay cuts of almost a third under the Tories, research found.
Salaries for 54 pay grades fell in real terms after inflation, analysis of complex contracts under which most NHS staff are paid revealed.
The biggest pay grade drop from 2010-11 to 2020-21 was 32%.
Consultancy London Economics assessed the Agenda for Change contracts following claims by Health Secretary Matt Hancock that carers have had a pay rise.
Ministers claim “newly qualified nurses” received a 12.5% boost in the last three-year AfC contract.
The Government is proposing a 1% NHS pay rise even though inflation is expected to be 1.5% to 2% later this year.
MPs are set to debate NHS pay in Parliament today.
Report author Dr Gavan Conlon said: “Any suggestion nursing staff ’s salaries have increased in recent years is inaccurate – they haven’t.”
The NHS Pay Review Body will make its recommendation in May. The Government will then make the final decision. The Royal College of Nursing, which commissioned the analysis, has called for a 12.5% increase and threatened strikes.
General secretary Dame Donna Kinnair said: “Years of austerity have left nursing staff badly underpaid.”
The GMB union wants a “restorative pay” award of a 15% rise or a £2 an hour increase, whichever is more.
Labour warned of an NHS exodus without a pay rise. Shadow health minister Justin Madders said: “Ministers need to change course.”
A Government spokesman said: “Pay rises in the rest of the public sector will be paused but we will provide rises for NHS workers.”