Medical unions urge response from Welsh Gov after NHS England pay deal

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales is pressing the Welsh Government to respond urgently to the recent 5.5% pay award announcement for nursing staff in England by the UK Chancellor.

Nicky Hughes, RCN Wales Associate Director of Nursing (Employment Relations), explains the role nurses play in NHS Wales: “Nurses are the backbone of NHS Wales, tirelessly dedicating themselves to the care and well-being of patients.

"Nursing staff in Wales deserve the same prompt action and recognition on pay as their colleagues in England.

"They should not have to wait any longer for the pay award that they should have received in April of this year.”

RCN Wales insists that any pay award for NHS Wales staff must be fully implemented and backdated to April 2024.

Nicky Hughes called on Eluned Morgan, who is pegged to be the next First Minister, to show leadership and commitment to nursing in Wales.

BMA’s Welsh Council, Dr Phil White said: “Yesterday’s announcement of an above inflation pay uplift for doctors in England is a step in the right direction.

"Doctors in Wales, keenly await the response of the Welsh Government and rightly anticipate that the recommendations of the DDRB will also be honoured in Wales.

"We have called on the Welsh Government to urgently address the crisis in general practice by securing a mandate to allow for GMS (general medical services) contract negotiations to start without any further delays."

In response, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance Rebecca Evans said: “The Chancellor has given a commitment to the public sector of a much-needed above-inflation pay rise.

"We will now carefully work through all the details which lie behind the statement and the implications for our budget.

"We know hard-working public sector workers are keen to find out how much they will be paid in 2024-25 but we need to understand the detail behind this announcement.”