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Press release: NHS Employers welcomes pay awards for NHS staff30 Mar 2006 NHS Employers, the employers' organisation for the NHS, has today welcomed the announcement of the pay awards for NHS staff which reflect the recommendations made in its evidence. The organisation called for a pay award in line with inflation and not more than 2.5% which would strike the right balance between the need to continue to support staff with appropriate pay rises and recognise local affordability in challenging financial circumstances. John Rostill, Chair of NHS Employers and Chief Executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: 'Today's announcement comes at a time when the tension in the NHS between financial pressures and the need to continue to recruit, retain and motivate staff is particularly intense. 'Most employers will feel that these awards strike the right balance between affordability and the need to keep pay competitive. However we recognise that meeting this award may be challenging for some organisations. 'There has been substantial investment in staff through pay reform in recent years and we need to see the full benefits of this investment for the service.' NHS Employers had also called for a longer term pay deal which would have helped trusts with their financial planning and removed the uncertainty for staff about future pay awards. The organisation is now in a position to propose an increase of 2.5% for the remaining equally important groups of NHS staff who come under the Agenda for Change system and whose pay is determined separately by the Pay Negotiating Council. NHS Employers is working closely with NHS organisations locally to ensure that the recent major pay modernisations benefit both staff and patients.
Notes for editorsFor further information please contact Emma Stafford on 020 7074 3307 or emma.stafford@nhsemployers.org or Gemma Jeffcoate on 020 7074 3308 or gemma.jeffcoate@nhsemployers.org Contact detailsThe press office provides a comprehensive service to keep journalists informed about the work of NHS Employers. If you have a media enquiry, please contact the press office team:
For out of hours media enquiries, please contact the duty press officer on 07880 500726. Last reviewed 31 Mar 2006 |
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