Fair Pay for Nursing
Learn about our campaign and see how you can get involved
Join us to demand pay justice for nursing staff
Nursing staff are chronically undervalued. Despite nursing being a highly skilled, degree-educated, safety-critical profession, outdated pay structures mean that many nursing staff begin and end their careers at the same pay level.
The situation is critical. Poor pay and working conditions are forcing staff to leave nursing. Almost half of the thousands of frontline NHS staff we recently surveyed say they’re actively planning or considering leaving their job.
We know that when nursing staff are paid fairly, offered career progression and work in fully staffed teams, they're more likely to stay in the profession.
We need members and supporters to come together to demand pay justice, improved career progression and safe staffing measures to address the workforce crisis in our health systems and deliver the recognition nursing staff deserve.
Nursing needs a fresh start
In January, the UK government launched a consultation to explore the creation of a separate pay structure, also known as a pay spine, for nursing staff working for the NHS in England.
Our members helped shape our response to the consultation. In April, we submitted our response.
Become a voting volunteer for the England NHS Pay Consultation
Our members in England have the opportunity to vote on 2024 NHS pay award. We need as many members as possible to participate. But to make that happen, we need you to help us get the word out!
Become a voting volunteer and encourage your colleagues to have their say.
Our fight for fair pay
We're calling on governments across the UK to show that they value nursing as the skilled and safety-critical profession it is. Politicians must:
- Recognise that nursing wage rises have consistently been below inflation for the past 13 years. The impact of this has been exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis.
- Value the care that nursing staff provide every day, and the training, qualifications, skills and responsibilities required by their roles.
- Commit to a substantial, above-inflation pay rise, to recognise the chronic workforce shortages and encourage staff to join and stay in the profession.
- Introduce measures to improve long-term career prospects for nursing staff.
- Create a fresh start for nursing as an attractive, rewarding profession to tackle the tens of thousands of unfilled nursing posts.
The role of the NHS Pay Review Body
Governments can use different routes to determine pay increases. Often governments in the UK ask review bodies to look at evidence and make recommendations on public sector pay before ministers set an award.
The Westminster government decides pay awards for NHS staff employed on Agenda for Change contracts in England following recommendations from the NHS Pay Review Body. Governments in Wales and Northern Ireland do the same for NHS staff in their respective countries, though they are often influenced by decisions made by the Westminster government. In Scotland, for the past few years, we have negotiated NHS pay directly with the Scottish government.
While the process only applies to NHS pay, the outcome tends to set a precedent for what nursing staff in independent and other health and social care settings are paid.
Vote on the England NHS pay award
In July, the UK government announced a 5.5% pay increase for NHS staff employed on NHS Agenda for Change terms and conditions in England.
Things are finally moving forward after months of inaction. Help us decide what happens next. If you work on an NHS Agenda for Change contract in England, you have until 12 noon on Monday 16 September to tell us what you think of the award.
Submitting evidence
In February, we submitted evidence to the NHS Pay Review Body setting out our demands for nursing staff.
We made 3 clear calls relating to pay and opportunities for career progression to stem the loss of nursing staff and protect patients.
We expect to hear from the government imminently with their proposed pay award for 2024/25.
Pay justice through job evaluation
For years, we’ve called for revised national nursing role profiles, so that nursing staff are graded correctly from the outset.
Progress is now being made by NHS Staff Council’s Job Evaluation Group to update job profiles to accurately reflect the duties of modern nursing at each pay band. But revised job profiles don’t go far enough.
Latest campaign news
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19 Apr 2023
RCN Northern Ireland Board meets to discuss nursing pay
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Northern Ireland Board met today to discuss the rejection of a pay offer for nursing staff in England and the continuing stalemate regarding pay in Northern Ireland.
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17 Apr 2023
Members employed by the Care Quality Commission begin industrial action
They’ll work to rule continuously until our mandate to take industrial action expires in September or a new formal pay offer is made.
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14 Apr 2023
RCN members vote to reject NHS pay offer for nursing staff in England
We’re seeking an urgent re-opening of pay talks with the UK government and planning a new 48-hour strike from 8pm on 30 April without derogations.
Visit our Strike Hub
Stay up to date with new details about strike action, learn about strike benefit, donate to our strike fund and more.
Your strength is in your numbers
Our fight for fair pay in independent health and social care
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Page last updated - 16/08/2024