NHS staff including nurses, paramedics, consultants, and dentists in England will receive a three per cent pay rise backdated to April 2021.

Having accepted the recommendations of the independent NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB) and the Review Body for Doctors’ and Dentists’ Renumeration (DDRB), the decision to increase the pay rise from one per cent to three will see the average nurse earn an additional £1,000 a year, while many porters and cleaners will receive around £540.

In addition, salaried GPs’ recommended minimum and maximum pay will be uplifted by three per cent whilst dental contracts will be uplifted to account for the three per cent uplift for dentists.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “NHS staff are rightly receiving a pay rise this year despite the wider public sector pay pause, in recognition of their extraordinary efforts. We asked the independent pay review bodies for their recommendations and I’m pleased to accept them in full, with a three per cent pay rise for all staff in scope, from doctors and nurses to paramedics and porters.

“We will back the NHS as we focus our efforts on getting through this pandemic and tackling the backlog of other health problems that has built up. I will continue to do everything I can to support all those in our health service who are working so tirelessly to care for patients.”

A number of unions and health associations have expressed disappointment with the offer. The Royal College of Nursing labelled it a ‘shambolic announcement’, saying that ministers are ‘knowingly cutting pay’ for an experienced nurse by over £200 in real-terms.

Pat Cullen, RCN chief executive, said: “Hospitals and other parts of the NHS are struggling to recruit nurses and health care support workers. The government has been warned that many more are on the verge of leaving. With today’s decision, ministers have made it even harder to provide safe care to patients.

“This announcement is light on detail. It must be fully-funded with additional monies for the NHS and ringfenced for the workforce bill.

“Nursing staff will remain dignified in responding to what will be a bitter blow to many. But the profession will not take this lying down. We will be consulting our members on what action they would like to take next.”