NHS nurses in Scotland are in for a pay rise after trade unions accepted an offer today.

Almost 170,000 nurses and healthcare workers for NHS Scotland will receive a 5.5% salary increase this year.

Unions representing NHS Agenda for Change staff – which includes nurses, midwives, paramedics, allied health professionals, porters and others – unanimously agreed to an investment of more than £448 million for improved pay conditions. 

The pay rise will also be backdated to the start of the tax year on April 1, and nurses will see there pay increased from next month.

Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray said the workers are the ‘backbone’ of the health service and welcomed the accepted offer.

He said: “I am pleased that trade unions have unanimously agreed to accept this pay offer, which ensures that nurses and healthcare staff in Scotland, who are part of Agenda for Change, will have the best reward package in the UK.

“I want to express my thanks again to Scotland’s hardworking healthcare staff for the care they provide to patients, day in, day out.  They are the very backbone of the NHS and we are committed to ensuring they feel supported and valued.”

Under the new offer, workers on band 1 such as porters will see their pay increased by £1,278 per annum, making the hourly rate £12.71. Workers on band 2 will see a rise between £1,285 and £1,395.

Higher-earning workers including experienced staff nurses and paramedics will see their pay increased by £2,535.

In some cases, workers in band 9 who earn between £111,595 and £116,428 per year will also receive the increase bringing the salaries up to £117,732 and £122,831 per year respectively – the equivalent of £61 and £63.67 per hour.