Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, has today confirmed that the full 12 months of backpay owed to HSC staff on Agenda for Change terms and conditions will be paid following the recent January monitoring exercise.

Commenting on this latest development, Professor Rita Devlin, Executive Director of the RCN in Northern Ireland said: “Nursing staff in Northern Ireland will be relieved to hear that all of the money they are owed for the past year will now be paid in their March salaries.

“It has taken a long time to get to this point, but the Minister has delivered on the commitment he gave to ensuring that the full 12 months of backpay owed to hard-working HSC staff is paid.

“While we welcome this announcement, we should never have been in this position in the first place and will continue to fight for fair pay for nursing staff which reflects the roles they do.”