General practice nurse pay: remind employers salary rise is due
Union urges nurses in general practice in Scotland to write to their employers if there is doubt about when their promised – and backdated – pay award should be implemented
General practice nurses are being urged to remind employers their agreed pay rise is due this month.
Practice nurses in Scotland were promised a 6.5% pay increase after the Holyrood government confirmed last month it would fund uplift for practice staff through the General Medical Services contract for 2023-24.
The money is due to be paid to nurses this month and be backdated to April. But the RCN has taken the precaution of issuing a templated letter nurses can hand to their employers if they have doubts about when they will receive their money.
The college said in a statement: ‘Practice-employed nursing staff should check with their employer when they will get the increase. The college has a template letter for nurses to send to their employers if they do not get a response about their pay.’
Template letter to employersGeneral practice nurses should have full pay parity with peers in the NHS – union
While the pay increase is in line with a 6.5% rise for those on Agenda for Change (AfC) contracts, the RCN said it did not take into account significant differences in terms and conditions between nurses in general practice and those on AfC contracts.
RCN Scotland pay, terms and conditions lead Philip Coghill said: ‘The RCN has argued for pay parity with Agenda for Change rates for practice-employed nursing staff so this announcement is a step in the right direction.
‘More work needs to be done to achieve full pay parity. GP nursing staff play an essential role in delivering NHS services, but many still aren’t receiving the pay they deserve.’
GP employers in England will be funded to implement pay award
In England, practice nurses were promised a 6% pay increase for 2023-24 after the government agreed in July to implement pay review body recommendations. But the uplift was delayed while funding sources were confirmed. It has now been agreed that each GP employer will receive additional money to fund the award.
RCN director for England Patricia Marquis said: ‘Now that a further announcement has been made, the RCN is investigating exactly how this will impact the pay, benefits and terms and conditions of our members working in GP practices.
‘You deserve to receive fair pay, and it’s important we understand the full details of this provision and its funding to support you to access every additional penny you should receive.’
In other news