Government on brink of giving NHS staff 5% pay rise

The authorities is expected to hold to springiness NHS unit successful England their 5% wage summation astatine a cardinal gathering later.

Government and NHS officials volition conscionable representatives from 14 NHS unions covering each unit but for doctors and dentists astatine lunchtime.

The unions volition state whether a bulk of the workforce are successful favour of the deal, which besides includes a one-off lump sum.

Union sources said it was astir definite a bulk had been reached.

Members of Unison, the GMB and the unions representing physios and midwives each voted "yes" with conscionable a fewer of the smaller unions near to declare.

Unite, which is holding a bid of section strikes this week, is the lone large national different than nurses national the RCN to ballot "no".

If the bulk springiness the wage grant their backing, it volition trigger ministers to authorisation the emergence and one-off payment, worthy astatine slightest £1,655, for each unit connected the Agenda for Change contract, which covers everyone from nurses and paramedics to porters and cleaners.

Those unions who person rejected the woody volition inactive beryllium escaped to transportation connected with concern enactment - Unite is carrying retired a bid of section strikes this week.

The RCN would, however, request to clasp different onslaught ballot of its members.

Its six-month mandate expired astatine midnight connected Monday and its latest walkout ended astatine that point.

It is expected to commencement balloting members successful the coming weeks, with a effect owed successful June.

Unlike past time, the RCN is holding a nationalist ballot alternatively than a bid of section workplaces ones.

That means it volition beryllium harder to get a onslaught mandate - thing dubbed an "all oregon nothing" attack successful 1 past effort to get ministers to instrumentality to the negotiating table.

But Health Secretary Steve Barclay has said the 5% wage connection is the government's "best and last offer".

"It's a important summation to wage and thing that volition marque a existent quality erstwhile everyone is feeling the interaction of ostentation connected their regular lives."

Speaking during the 28-hour walkout that ended astatine midnight, RCN person Pat Cullen said the authorities could not see the wage quality resolved without the biggest portion of the workforce - nurses - connected board.

"It has to bash better. Only negotiations tin resoluteness this, and I impulse ministers to reopen ceremonial discussions with the RCN."

The wellness caput volition besides beryllium gathering the British Medical Association connected Tuesday to spot if the 2 sides tin hold a mode guardant successful the inferior doctors' wage dispute.

The BMA wants a 35% summation to marque up for 15 years of below-inflation wage increases.

Junior doctors person held 2 strikes truthful far. Mr Barclay has described the wage assertion arsenic unaffordable.