Warning that NHS pay award may result in cut to services

NHS chiefs are warning that some services may have to be cut to fund the proposed pay award in England.

 

The government has announced doctors will receive a pay rise of 4.5 per cent and other staff an average of 4.75 per cent, an increase which has been backed by NHS England.

 

The news comes as Royal College of Nursing leaders said they intended to ballot members over industrial action, after calling for a pay rise of 5 per cent above inflation, the equivalent of 12.5 per cent, earlier this year.

 

A spokesperson for NHS England said that without the government-honoured pay review body recommendations, the number of vacancies would worsen, but added that as the NHS was not getting any extra money to pay for the increase, services would be under threat.

 

The spokesperson said “Given the requirement to fund this within existing Department of Health budgets, we will need to release money from existing programmes, regrettably impacting on the planned rollout of tech and diagnostic capacity across the health service.

 

“But with ongoing cost-of-living pressures causing difficulties for many staff, it is crucial we support our hugely dedicated NHS workforce this time.”

 

Pat Cullen, general secretary of the RCN, said “After years of underpayment and staff shortages, the fight for fair pay must continue.”

 

Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence claims, providing support and guidance after life-changing events.  Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.

 

If you believe that you or a relative may have been injured as a result of clinical/medical negligence, please call for free legal advice from our medical negligence solicitors on the freephone number below.

 

Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

 

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