Nurses and midwives in the NHS have received the largest pay rise in 10 years in an attempt to reverse the staffing crisis.
Earlier this week the government agreed to implement in full the recommendations of the nurses' pay review body. The average increase for nurses, midwives, and health visitors will be 4.7%which is above the level of inflation. Newly qualified nurses will receive a 12%increase-to give them an annual salary of £14400 ($23000). Around 70000 staff nurses will receive over 8%The London allowance, affecting 50000 nurses, will increase by 15.4%.
Doctors in the NHS will receive a basic increase of 3.5%from 1 April, taking the starting salary of a house officer to £16710. An additional £500 has been added to the top of hospital and public health consultants' salaries, taking them to £61605-a 4.3%increase. GPs will also receive the annual £60m recommended by the review body last year for deprivation payments, to reward quality, and to enhance seniority payments. The average GP's pay will rise to £52600-a 7.3%increase.
The government did not accept the recommendations of the doctors' review body that £50m should be available annually from 2000 to reward individual consultants for increases in their workloads. It said that it will consider this proposal carefully in the light of the negotiations on a new consultant contract.
Mr Dobson told the House of Commons that he was “willing to make an investment in rewards and incentives if the negotiations deliver a better service for patients.” Dr Peter Hawker, chairman of the BMA's consultants' committee, said: “The government refused to play fair with the consultants, on whom it depends to meet its waiting list targets and keep pace with rising patient need.”
While welcoming the government's attempt to address the recruitment problem in nursing, Dr John Chisholm, chairman of the BMA's general practitioners' committee, pointed out that there was also a severe recruitment problem among GPs. “The low level of this year's award gives us nothing extra to build on and will leave GPs with continued demoralisation at a time of maximum upheaval in primary care.”