12 November 2004
The NHS minimum wage will be set at £5.69 an hour after the largest health union voted in favour of a groundbreaking pay deal for more than a million health service staff.
Agenda for Change, which covers all NHS staff except senior managers and doctors, is due to be implemented in December following three years of negotiations. As well as a pay rise for many workers following the introduction of a new pay spine, it will provide training opportunities and more transparency in career development.
This week, 75% of Unison health members voted in favour of the deal, which has already been accepted by the royal colleges of nurses and midwives.
Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: 'Thanks to today's vote, the NHS is closer to the goal of achieving a modern pay and conditions system which properly recognises and rewards the skills of the workforce, and offers training opportunities and real progression through the ranks. It also means that no-one will be paid less than £5.69 an hour, which is a major breakthrough for low-paid NHS workers.'
Health Secretary John Reid said patients would benefit from the introduction of Agenda for Change as morale improved and new roles were developed.
'As staff begin to work more flexibly and enhance their skills, patients will experience faster and better care. Unison members have endorsed the right deal for patients,' he added.
Alastair Henderson, deputy director of new employers' organisation NHS Employers, said: 'Implementation of Agenda for Change for more than 1 million staff across the NHS will benefit NHS employees, will support recruitment and retention and the development of new roles and opportunities and will help contribute to improvements in patient care.'
However, Agenda for Change still has a few hurdles to leap before its implementation. Unison said its acceptance of the deal was provisional, pending further talks on extending payments for unsocial hours to all staff.
The Society of Radiographers has rejected the deal and is considering industrial action. The result of a vote by Amicus members is due to be announced on November 12. The union leadership did not recommend the deal to its members, though they did not advocate rejection.
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