NHS staff get 6.5% pay rise

Clerical, ambulance and ancillary staff received rises

More than 300,000 health workers are to receive a pay rise of up to 6.5% after union members accepted a national pay offer.

The increases will apply to NHS clerical, ancillary and ambulance staff working in England.

It means they will go some way to catching up with nursing staff, who have already been awarded rises.

The pay rises

Basic paramedic: £18,200 to £19,800

Clerical (start rate): £8,800 to £10,400

Hospital cleaners: £4.20 an hour to £4.47 an hour

Source: Unison

On the same day police officers accepted a pay deal - agreeing a £400 annual rise on the basic wage in return for a 15% cut in overtime payments over the next three years.

Other sweeteners included competency-related payments of £1,000 to top officers, and special payments of up to £5,000 to those doing the most difficult jobs.

Health union Unison said it had accepted the offer after a consultative ballot of its members.

It said it was "pleased" that health workers at the lower end of the pay scale had been recognised.

"It's still a long way to go though. It is only a step in the right direction," said spokeswoman Karen Jennings.

The union said it was disappointed its claim for a reduction in the working week to 35 hours had been rejected.

Minimum wage

The agreement means the vast majority of staff will receive a 3.6% increase in pay, with ancillary staff getting 5.2%.

Hospital cleaners will get a larger increase with their pay up by 6.5%. That brings their hourly rates of pay to £4.47, up from £4.20.

These are fair and affordable rises for this important group of NHS staff

Health Minister John Hutton

Although cleaners are getting the biggest percentage rise, their pay will still be only just above the national minimum wage.

Other union officials said they were disappointed with the overall offer.

They said the hourly rates for hospital cleaners remained too low, and did not reflect the modern health service the government wanted to deliver.

Unison national officer Yvonne Cleary also said the members had been disappointed that their bid to reduce their working week had failed.

Workers had wanted their weekly hours cut from 39 at present to 35, without loss of pay.

Affordable

Health Minister John Hutton said the pay deal was fair.

"These are fair and affordable rises for this important group of NHS staff.

"It underlines our commitment to fair pay for all NHS staff, and our willingness to take targeted action to tackle low pay and specific problem areas where we know there are difficulties in recruiting and retaining the right staff.

"For the future, we are working in partnership with NHS employers and trade unions to agree a modernised pay system for NHS staff which will give staff a better career structure and better reward those who do the most for the NHS".