The proposed pay settlement for nurses in Wales is rather better than the immediate media reports implied. It is in line with the NHS Pay Review Body recommendation, which is what the Welsh government committed itself to, but additional to a top-up announced in April. The official government statement also points out that:
The starting salary for the lowest paid roles in band 1 and the bottom of band 2 in NHS Wales will now be £20,758, this equates to a pay rise of 10.8% this financial year for this band and would make Wales the highest paying UK nation for the lowest pay bands in the NHS. [my emphasis - FHL]
I have in the past pointed out the disparity between Welsh nurses' pay and that of the other home nations, in a country where, because of the industrial past and income differences, health is of more concern. It is good to see that this has been addressed. What now needs to be tackled is the loss of experienced nurses at the top end of the pay scales.
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