For immediate release

MSP for Rutherglen, Clare Haughey, has welcomed the news that almost 170,000 nurses and healthcare workers in Scotland will receive a 5.5% salary increase this year, ensuring they have the best reward package in the UK.

Trade Unions representing NHS Agenda for Change staff – which includes nurses, midwives, paramedics, allied health professionals, porters and others – unanimously agreed to back the pay deal worth more than £448 million.

As a result of Scottish Government investment, NHS Agenda for Change staff in Scotland will be paid substantially more than is the case for the same staff in England. 

The pay rise, backdated to 1 April 2024, comes into effect from this month.

Commenting, Clare Haughey said;

“It’s great news that Trade Unions have unanimously agreed to accept this pay offer, ensuring that Agenda for Change nurses and healthcare staff will be fairly compensated for their work.

“Nurses in England have recently rejected their pay offer from the UK Government, and when you make comparisons, it’s easy to see why.

“An experienced Band 7 Advanced Nurse Practitioner in England would need a 13.4% uplift to match his or her colleagues in Scotland, and a Band 5 nurse in England would need a 14.9% increase to match the Scottish rate.

“This is a result of a conscious decision by the SNP Scottish Government to invest in Scotland’s NHS – despite UK government austerity cuts to Scotland’s budget. 

“Scotland’s healthcare staff are the backbone of our NHS, working day in, day out to care for patients, and the Scottish Government are committed to ensuring they feel supported and valued.”

ENDS