Vote to scrap the nursing pay cap

Thank you for contacting me about NHS pay.

I believe strongly that the passion, commitment, and the specialist knowledge our doctors, nurses and other NHS staff provide is what makes our NHS so special. I recognise that staff morale is vital to maintaining staff commitment to services.

I know that delivering a safer 7-day NHS for patients is a priority and record numbers of frontline staff are now employed, with around 6,500 more nurses in the NHS compared to 2010.

I know that the independent pay review bodies, the NHS Pay Review Body and the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration apply their expertise and objectivity in making recommendations to Government. On 28th march 2017, the Government accepted the Pay review Body’s recommendation for a 1 per cent pay increase for all NHS staff in 2017/18, in addition to the incremental pay increases for those staff who are eligible.

You may be aware that the NHS is one of few public sector workforces that receive incremental pay. Around half of staff on Agenda for Change (AfC) contracts receive incremental pay of around 3 per cent on average. For example a typical qualified nurse (Band 5) can expect seven years of pay progression averaging around 3.8 per cent a year, in addition to annual pay awards. I appreciate that this may not reflect your own circumstances.

To help support NHS staff in their duty of care, the Government has committed to increase NHS spending in England by £10 billion in real terms by 2020. By cutting bureaucracy and championing higher standards, Ministers have ensured this money goes on frontline care not administration.

I am proud the NHS has been rated the best healthcare system in the world, something that is only possible thanks to the dedication and hard work of all NHS staff, supported by a strong economy.