Gray welcomes unions accepting NHS pay deal

Health Secretary Neil Gray has welcomed NHS staff agreeing to a £448 million pay deal with the Scottish Government.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) joined Unison and Unite on Monday in accepting the deal, which will see a 5.5% increase in pay for workers.

Agenda for Change staff – which includes nurses, midwives, paramedics and hospital staff – will receive the uplift, which will be backdated to April this year.

He said: “I am pleased that trade unions have unanimously agreed to accept this pay offer, which ensures that nurses and healthcare staff in Scotland, who are part of Agenda for Change, will have the best reward package in the UK.

“I want to express my thanks again to Scotland’s hardworking healthcare staff for the care they provide to patients, day in, day out.

“They are the very backbone of the NHS and we are committed to ensuring they feel supported and valued.”

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) announced on Monday it would accept the deal, but the chair of its Scotland board Julie Lamberth said the Government “still have more to do” after 39% of respondents to the ballot voted against the deal.

“This is not the end; we will continue the fight for fair pay and safe staffing,” she said.