Fri Sep 20 14:16:28 UTC 2024: ## NHS Scotland Staff Accept 5.5% Pay Deal

**Edinburgh, Scotland** – Members of Unison, the largest trade union in the NHS, have voted to accept a 5.5% pay deal offered by the Scottish government. The decision follows a similar vote by members of Unite earlier this week.

The deal, which is in line with the pay rise offered to NHS staff in England, will see almost 170,000 employees, including nurses, midwives, paramedics, and porters, receive a pay increase backdated to April. While Unison acknowledges this as the best deal currently possible, they expressed frustration over the length of time it took to secure the offer.

“There’s considerable anger that it’s taken 200 days to get an offer on the table,” stated Matt McLaughlin, Unison Scotland’s lead organiser for health. “Hard-working staff won’t see a bump in their pay until at least the end of October.”

The pay package, totaling £448 million, will see the lowest-paid workers receive a £1,278 increase and a new hourly rate of £12.71. Doctors are not included in the deal as they negotiate their pay separately.

The Royal College of Nursing is still expected to vote on the offer. If accepted, it would mark a significant victory for the Scottish government, as Scotland is the only nation in the UK to have avoided NHS strike action.

The pay deal comes at a time when NHS waiting lists in Scotland have reached a record high of 690,000 for planned outpatient or inpatient care. The government hopes the pay rise will help retain staff and improve morale amid ongoing challenges within the health service.

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