The CSP, along with other health unions, won’t be submitting joint evidence to the NHS pay review body for the next wage round while the current industrial disputes remain unresolved.
Instead, the 14 unions – representing more than one million physiotherapists, ambulance staff, nurses, porters, healthcare assistants and other NHS workers in England – have called for direct pay talks with ministers.
Unions believe the lengthy pay review body process is not able to deliver what is needed right now. That’s a deal that resolves the current pay and staffing dispute and puts in place a settlement needed to get the NHS back on track.
Evidence for the 2023/24 pay round was meant to be submitted on 11 January. Instead, the CSP along with other NHS unions have collated the case for investment in NHS pay into a publicly available document. This outlines the necessity of investment in pay and staffing to the health service, its staff, patients and the wider economy.
Secretary of the NHS group of unions and CSP assistant director of employment relations Elaine Sparkes said: ‘Solving the pay dispute, getting vacancy rates down and providing better patient care must be the government’s number one priority.
But even if the review body process were to be hurried along as the health secretary says he’s keen to do, it would still take too long.
‘Speed is of the essence, as is ensuring wages are high enough for the NHS to retain experienced staff and attract new recruits. Only direct talks can achieve that.’
The case for investment in NHS pay 2023
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