Pay rises for most NHS staff should be restricted to an “affordable” 2.5% next year to deliver improvements to NHS services and avoid “difficult” trade-offs, the UK government has said.

NHS trade unions, including MiP, have refused to endorse NHS England’s national voluntary redundancy (VR) scheme, describing some aspects of the scheme as “grossly unfair” and warning of “potentially serious” tax implications.

NHS leaders are experiencing more work-related stress and lower morale, with the government’s sweeping reforms of the NHS in England a major factor, according to a new MiP survey.