Pay review body

The reports have been laid before Parliament today (Cm 8831 and Cm 8832). Copies of the reports are available to hon Members from the Vote Office and to noble Lords from the Printed Paper Office.

NHS PAY REVIEW BODY

Thank given to the NHS Pay Review Body for its 28^th report and note its recommendations and observations.

In the wake of the public inquiry into Mid Staffordshire  NHS Foundation Trust, the first priority must be to ensure that the NHS can afford to employ the right number of frontline staff needed to ensure the safe, effective and compassionate care that patients have a right to expect.

The NHSPRB’s recommendations for a 1 per cent consolidated rise for all staff, on top of automatic increments, are unaffordable and would risk the quality of patient care.  Without a pay rise, incremental pay increases already commit nearly £1billion every year for all NHS employees and add 2 per cent each year to the NHS pay bill for Agenda for Change staff. The PRB proposals suggest a pay rise that would risk reductions in front line staff that could lead to unsafe patient care.  It is not possible to maintain appropriate numbers of front line staff, give a general pay rise of 1 per cent and pay for incremental progression.