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Press release: NHS Employers issues pay circular as unions accept revised offer

17 Oct 2007

NHS Employers is today providing NHS trusts with the information they need to implement the 2007 pay award for staff on Agenda for Change, following the NHS trade unions' acceptance of the revised proposal made in August.

The issuing of the pay circular advising employers of rates of pay from 1 April and 1 November, means that NHS staff could receive their pay award in their November pay packets.  They will also receive backdated pay from 1 April 2007.

Gill Bellord, head of pay and negotiations at NHS Employers said:

"We are pleased to announce that the NHS trade unions have formally accepted the revised proposal we made on 1 August for staff on Agenda for Change pay bands.

"Over the last few months the NHS trade unions have been consulting with their members to get their views on the offer.  The majority of the NHS trade unions have now voted through the Staff Council to accept the revised offer.

"This means that today we are able to publish a new pay circular with the information that trusts need to give their staff the award.  We hope that payroll providers will be able to get the pay rises to staff in their November pay packets."

Notes for editors

• The lowest paid staff on Agenda for Change band 1 and up to point 7 in band 2 (for example porters and cleaners on salaries from £11,782 to £14,037) will receive £400 with 1.5% payable from 1 April 2007 and the remainder from 1 November 2007
•  Staff on Agenda for Change bands 2 (point 8) to the top of band 4 (for example healthcare and nursing assistants on salaries from £14,543 to £19,730) will receive 2.5% plus £38 with 1.5% payable from 1 April 2007 and the remainder from 1 November 2007
•  Staff on Agenda for Change bands 5 (on point 19) and above (for example qualified nurses and allied healthcare professionals on salaries from £20,294 to £88,397) will receive 2.5% with1.5% payable from 1 April 2007 and with the balance from 1 November 2007
• Trusts will be given a sum equivalent to £25 per non-clinical member of staff for training initiatives for those staff to be agreed locally
• Clinical staff in Agenda for Change bands 5 - 8 (A) who need to be registered with a professional regulatory body in order to practice will receive a payment of £38 a year towards these fees. This will be reviewed in 2010.
• An agreement to enter discussion on a multi-year pay deal. The agreement does not pre-commit any party to agree a multi-year pay deal or to pre-agree any specific element.

The original offer for this group of staff which was rejected by the Staff Council was a 2.5% staged pay increase with 1.5 per cent payable from April 2007 and the balance from 1 November 2007. 

• Emma Robinson 0207 074 3307 or emma.robinson@nhsemployers.org

For out of hours media enquiries, please contact the duty press officer on 07880 500726.

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