NHS workers are being urged to accept a 5.5 per cent pay increase – with a union describing the offer from the Scottish Government as the “best negotiable” under current circumstances.

The Scottish Government tabled the offer, which is in line with that proposed in England, to NHS Scotland staff earlier this week.

The deal could see almost 170,000 employees – including nurses, midwives, paramedics, allied health professionals, porters and others – receive a pay rise that would be backdated to April.

With the package worth £448 million, the trade union Unite said lowest-paid workers would get a £1,278 salary increase, and a new hourly rate of £12.71, if the offer is accepted.

Unite, one of a number of trade unions which represent NHS staff in Scotland, is to ballot its members on the offer, but is recommending they accept.

The offer affects 170,000 workers The offer affects 170,000 workers (Image: PA)

James O’Connell, Unite’s lead negotiator for the health sector, said it had been involved in “constructive discussions with the Scottish Government for a number of weeks to get a credible pay offer on the table for our valued NHS workers”.

He added: “We believe that the current 5.5% offer is the best negotiable under the present circumstances and it represents an increase above inflation.

 

“Unite will now initiate a ballot of our NHS Scotland membership and it will come with a recommendation to accept.

“The final decision is always in the hands of our membership who will ultimately decide whether the deal is good enough.”

Health Secretary Neil Gray has already said the proposed pay rise would “ensure Scotland’s nurses and NHS staff have the best pay package in the UK”.