Majority of NHS unions accept pay offer - now what?
Most health unions have accepted the government's latest pay offer. ITV News Political Reporter Shehab Khan explains what happens next
Words by Lewis Denison, ITV News Westminster Producer
A majority of health unions have accepted the government's latest pay offer, bringing an end to the threat of strikes by most NHS workers this year.
It means the revised pay offer, which includes a lump sum for 2022-23 and 5% for 2023-24, should be implemented, according to a joint statement from members of the NHS Staff Council.
But two major unions are still holding out for a better deal. The Royal College of Nursing says it could stage further walkouts up to Christmas if ministers do not present something better.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: “I’m pleased the NHS Staff Council has voted to accept our pay offer, demonstrating that a majority of NHS staff agree this is a fair and reasonable deal."
Due to the complex nature in which NHS pay is agreed, this situation of some unions accepting the same offer others have rejected leaves behind a confusing picture.
Here we explain all you need to know about the NHS pay agreement and what it means for patients going forward.
What is the government's pay offer to NHS workers?
Ministers have made an improved offer to NHS workers in England, other than doctors and dentists, after months of NHS strikes which have caused thousands of appointments to be cancelled.
The new offer includes:
A one-off, non-consolidated payment of between £1,250 and £2,000 for last year
A 5% rise in basic pay for next year (2023-24)
This comes on top of the £1,400 rise in basic pay they have already received for the 2022-23 financial year.
Which unions have accepted the offer and which have rejected it?
The latest pay offer, which the government says is the final offer, was the result of negotiations between Health Secretary Steve Barclay and the UK's 12 major NHS unions.
All those unions recommended their members should accept the offer, except Unite which left said it was unable to do so because it does not believe the lump sum for last year represents a pay rise.
Most of the 14 health unions part of the NHS Staff Council voted to accept the offer, including major groups GMB and Unison, the largest health service union.
But Unite members (52%) rejected the offer, with a turnout of 55%, as did the Royal College of Nursing.
The RCN rejected the offer with a majority of 54% and a turnout of 61%. The Society of Radiographers also rejected it.
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What does this all mean for NHS pay rises?
There's a complex system for agreeing NHS pay rises, with most health workers other than doctors and dentists being paid by the Agenda for Change pay system.
It means pay adjustments to Agenda for Change workers apply to all staff within the system, with different bands for workers with varying levels of experience.
So pay rises for paramedics would be equivalent to increases provided to midwives and nurses, for example.
Even though unions ballot their members separately and agree on individual strikes, they are all battling for a pay rise which would be applied across the Agenda for Change.
The NHS Staff Council, which has responsibility for the Agenda for Change pay system, has agreed the government's pay offer should be implemented across the pay system.
It means members of the RCN and Unite will still get the pay rise, despite a majority of them rejecting the deal.
It is expected the lump-sum payment will be made in summer this year.
Will there be more health strikes this year?
The RCN is pressing ahead with a fresh ballot to see if its members want to continue taking industrial action, with general secretary Pat Cullen suggesting strikes could run up until Christmas.
Unite still has a valid mandate and is expected to carry out more strikes as its members seek a better offer.
There is also an unresolved dispute between the government and the British Medical Association over the pay of junior doctors, who are paid separately, and more strikes are expected.
RCN general secretary Ms Cullen said despite other unions agreeing on pay, hers "remains in formal dispute with the government and the NHS over pay levels".
She added: "Later this month, we will ballot 280,000 members in England's NHS over further strike action to be held between June and December 2023.
"We will hold an aggregated ballot under the relevant legislation which, if supported by a sufficient number of RCN members, would provide the legal mandate to take strike action across the full NHS. Until this point, our strike action has been in approximately 50% of NHS trusts and other NHS employers."
Mr Barclay, in a message to members of dissenting unions, said he hopes they "recognise this as a fair outcome that carries the support of their colleagues and decide it is time to bring industrial action to an end".
He added: "We will continue to engage constructively with unions on workforce changes to ensure the NHS is the best place to work for staff, patients and taxpayers."
On the junior doctor's dispute, the health secretary said the latest breakthrough should show the government is prepared to work with unions.
He said: "I hope that we can take that into the discussions with junior doctors".