NHS Scotland staff vote to accept two-year 8% pay offer

NHS nurses, midwives, paramedics and other healthcare staff across Scotland have voted to accept a 8% pay deal over two years.

Scotland’s Health Secretary Neil Gray said 170,000 NHS staff would now receive a 4.25% increase in 2025-26 and a 3.7% rise the following year.

It will cost about £700m and includes an “inflation guarantee”, meaning pay increases will always be 1% above the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate.

The Scottish deal is significantly higher than the 3% recommended by pay review bodies in England and Wales where pay negotiations are continuing.

The main NHS health unions had promised to consult their members after the Scottish offer was announced last month.

It will affect a wide range of staff including nurses, midwives, paramedics – and other workers such as porters – but not doctors whose pay is negotiated separately.

The health secretary said: “We want to ensure they feel value and rewarded and I’m very pleased that they have agreed to accept a strong two-year pay deal.

“Staff will see the benefit of this pay uplift in their pay packets from next month.

“The deal, which is both fair and affordable, is guaranteed to remain above CPI inflation and will ensure Scotland’s nurses, midwives and NHS staff have the best reward package in the UK.”

With pay negotiations continuing in England and Wales, it remains unclear whether block grant funding from Westminster will cover the full cost of the rise.

RCN Scotland, which represents nurses, said about half of its members eligible to vote had taken part in a ballot, with 60% backing the offer.

Julie Lamberth, chair of the RCN Scotland board, said she recognised a significant minority voted to reject it, reflecting “continued frustration and concern”.

“The link between low pay, staff shortages and patient safety remains, and we will continue to make the case to the Scottish government for reform to achieve fair pay,” she said.

Unison Scotland said its members had voted 86% in favour of accepting the offer in a ballot but its head of health, Matt McLaughlin, said there was no room for complacency.

“Waiting lists are the worst since devolution. The NHS in Scotland must address staff shortages if it is to turn the service’s fortunes around,” he said.

NHS workers represented by Unite also voted overwhelmingly to accept the offer.

The increase will be backdated to 1 April.