Nursing union accepts Scottish Government’s 5.5% NHS pay increase

Members of a nursing union have voted to accept the Scottish Government’s NHS pay deal.

The Royal College of Nursing Scotland (RCN Scotland) said 61% of respondents to their ballot voted to accept the offer of a 5.5% rise.

The union said the proportion of members voting against the deal shows the Scottish Government “still have more to do” and vowed the campaign on pay and staffing would continue.

Julie Lamberth, RCN Scotland board chair, said: “We believe it was right that our members had their say on this offer.

“The result of the vote shows that Scottish Government still have more to do. This is not the end; we will continue the fight for fair pay and safe staffing.”

The deal being accepted comes on the day a similar 5.5% deal south of the border has been rejected by the RCN in England.

RCN Scotland is the third major union to accept the Scottish Government’s pay package, worth £448 million, with Unison and Unite having already voted in favour.

If formally accepted, almost 170,000 NHS employees, including nurses, midwives, paramedics, allied health professionals, porters and others, will benefit from the rise, which would be backdated to April.

The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.