Scots NHS staff to get full 2.5% rise

15 Mar 07
NHS staff in Scotland are to receive their entire 2.5% pay increase in April following a surprise decision that conflicts with the phased deal on offer to their counterparts in England and Wales.

16 March 2007

NHS staff in Scotland are to receive their entire 2.5% pay increase in April following a surprise decision that conflicts with the phased deal on offer to their counterparts in England and Wales.

The announcement by Health Minister Andy Kerr at a Royal College of Nursing conference in Edinburgh this week means the deal for nurses and other staff will be implemented just before the Scottish Parliament elections on May 3.

Health staff in Scotland will get the full 2.5% rise recommended by the pay review body instead of the proposed deal of 1.5% now and another 1% later in the year. Chancellor Gordon Brown had argued for a phased implementation to 'maintain discipline and stability'.

The deal will cost £18.7m, which will be met from the Scottish budget. It will benefit about 100,000 NHS staff.

A spokesman for the first minister said Jack McConnell had informed the Treasury of the Scottish Executive's intention to pay the settlement in full. He added: 'The chancellor and others have been aware that it was something we were considering. There were some discussions before Andy Kerr made his announcement.'

The Scottish National Party said the announcement showed that Labour in Scotland was making policy on the hoof. The Scottish Conservatives welcomed the pay rise but added: 'We have to wonder whether this

climb-down would have happened if there wasn't an election looming.'

The creation of a North-South divide on pay has infuriated the unions in England. Karen Jennings, head of health for Unison, said: 'Nurses and health professionals must have fair and equal treatment across the UK. This decision should shame MPs in Westminster into taking action over the shabby way our nurses and health workers are being treated by the government in this pay round.'

Glyn Hawker, Unison's Scottish organiser for health, said: 'The minister has listened to health workers' concerns. This reflects the more effective and co-operative nature of the NHS in Scotland.'

Dr Peter Carter, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said the decision would put fresh pressure on the government to rethink the unjust decision to stage the award.

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