MiP today urged the government to give all NHS staff an early and significant pay rise.

MiP believes it is the least that the government can do for all staff within the NHS, who have served the public so courageously during the pandemic – and will carry on doing so once it is all over. Recent surveys show that the public agrees.

The government appears to want to talk about pay in a pay review body process. MiP believes this is unnecessary and cumbersome. It is the government’s job to decide funding and to recognise health staff with a pay rise which would be easy to implement quickly this year. An early and positive decision from the government would help the NHS get into good shape for winter pressures, managing the backlog of care and any second wave.

MiP Chief Executive Jon Restell said:

“The Prime Minister has spoken about his personal experience of the value of what NHS staff have done during the pandemic. MiP calls on the government to reflect that in their pay.

“An early and significant pay increase is a fair, reasonable and pragmatic thing to ask for, and would boost the morale of staff as we enter the most difficult months for the health service.

“Like other NHS staff, managers kept services going, swiftly implemented new ways of working, and did thousands of hours of unpaid overtime during the pandemic. An early and significant pay rise is a small thing to ask for, in order to properly recognise their work during the pandemic.”