Where is our NHS nursing pay deal?
Nursing staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland continue to wait for a 2025-26 pay offer, more than a month into the new financial year. Nursing unions want ministers to negotiate with them directly, saying the NHS Pay Review Body (RB) process does not work in the interests of nursing staff. Unions cite the more timely deal for NHS staff in Scotland, who have accepted a guaranteed inflation-proof offer over two years that was negotiated directly with nursing leaders. The RCN said nurses’ patience is running out, and a Unite official said the RB is not fit for purpose. A government spokesperson confirmed it is now considering the RB submission. The RCN general secretary has suggested that nursing’s status as a predominantly female profession means its pay is not taken seriously.
