NHS pay consultation in Wales: RCN members vote reject

Of the eligible members who cast their vote, 72% said they didn’t accept the 5.5% award.

The number of members that took part in the consultation reached the same levels as those seen in the successful 2022 industrial action ballot in Wales and the turnout in the recent consultation on the NHS pay award in England.

The pay award was announced by the First Minister in September as she accepted the recommendations of the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) in full, awarding a 5.5% consolidated pay increase for NHS Wales staff on Agenda for Change terms and conditions. This award is expected to be paid this month and will be backdated to 1 April 2024.

Since this is an award, not an offer, the results of our consultation won’t directly affect employer payment of it. However, this demonstrates RCN Wales members decisively believe this award does not recognise the value, expertise, and critical responsibility held by nursing staff in Wales.

Helen Whyley, RCN Wales Executive Director, said: “Our members have spoken loudly and clearly: nursing staff in Wales know their worth. After years of underpayment, this award fails to match the safety-critical nature of their work and the extensive skills they bring to the NHS.

“With the NHS in Wales in a fragile state, it is imperative that the Welsh government commits to valuing nursing staff to strengthen recruitment and retention, which will, in turn, improve patient care.

“The RCN calls on the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to engage in urgent talks toward pay restoration to address the historical underpayment faced by nurses in Wales. We urge the Welsh government to recognise that fair pay is essential to sustaining this essential workforce."

RCN Wales is grateful to our members who took the opportunity to make their voices heard and to shape our next steps.