Jeremy Hunt congratulates NHS staff on a ‘well deserved pay rise’

The Health and Social Care Secretary says the pay deal is ‘well deserved’.

Jeremy Hunt, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has publicly congratulated NHS staff after they ‘overwhelmingly’ voted to accept changes to the agenda for change system and a multi-year pay deal.

Since March, 14 healthcare unions have been asking NHS staff whether they want to accept or reject the pay rise, which means a 6.5% increase over three years for over a million hospital cleaners, nurses, security guards, physiotherapists, emergency call handlers, paramedics, midwives, radiographers and other NHS staff across England.

‘Overwhelmingly accepted’.

Yesterday, following consultation exercises and online ballots, it was announced that health workers had voted ‘overwhelmingly’ to accept the deal.

In the statement released by the Department of Health and Social Care, Mr. Hunt said; “This is an incredibly well deserved pay rise for staff who have never worked harder. Salaries will increase between 6.5% and 29%, with some of the biggest increases for the lowest paid.

“I hope this will also go some way to helping us recruit and retain more brilliant staff in our NHS.”

.@Jeremy_Hunt's reaction to union members voting to accept an historic NHS pay deal for Agenda for Change staff. pic.twitter.com/ad1eLerxK3

— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) June 8, 2018

‘The issue of NHS pay has been put to bed’.

Janet Davies, Chief Executive and General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “After today, the Government cannot assume that the thorny issue of NHS pay has been put to bed. This deal marks a step in the right direction but the bigger leap to truly fair pay still needs to be taken. It does give a genuine pay rise to over one million people from next month and that cannot be underestimated in challenging economic times.

“Ministers knew that the public were behind our members when they turned up the heat last year. Today’s deal would not have been reached without the campaigning efforts of tens of thousands of nursing staff last year and we thank the public for the support shown.”