GP partners in England have been urged to pay their nursing staff a 6% pay uplift as announced by the government, in a joint position statement from the British Medical Association’s GP Committee and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
While recognising increasing costs and funding constraints, the unions have said they are in agreement that nurses in general practice should be given ‘a fair pay settlement that rightly recognises their core and essential nursing role’.
This comes after Nursing in Practice revealed that half of general practice nursing staff across the UK have still not received a pay rise for 2024/25.
Our survey suggested that of those who have received an uplift this year, only around one in six (16%) were awarded the 6% recommended by the government in England.
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In a joint statement, published yesterday, the BMA’s GP Committee England (GPCE) and the RCN warned that ‘systemic issues’ leave many general practice employers without the necessary resources to meet patient demand and annual staff pay increases.
They encouraged all GP partners in England to award a 6% uplift to nursing staff – in line with the recommendations of the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration Body that were accepted by the government in the summer.
‘GPCE and the RCN encourages all GP partners to award their nursing staff the 6% pay uplift as announced by the government,’ it said.
‘It is important to note that the uplift includes employers on costs such as National Insurance and pension contributions, which the employer must also fund.’
They added: ‘We recognise decisions on pay awards for practice staff are determined by individual employers, but the RCN and GPCE agree that all nursing staff working in general practice should be provided with a fair pay settlement that rightly recognises their core and essential nursing role in the holistic delivery of general practice services.
‘We also encourage transparency by GP partners on the value of their funding uplift, what is therefore available for GP nursing pay and how decisions are made on staff pay awards.’
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The unions committed to continue its calls for ‘a fairer funding model’ but said that ‘until this is secured, all nursing staff must be paid fairly in respect of their knowledge, skills and professional responsibilities’.
‘Their delivery of safe and effective nursing care must be enabled through improved and supportive employment terms and working conditions,’ the statement added.
‘To recruit and retain general practice nursing staff there must be contractual parity through protected funding and training programmes.
‘The RCN and GPCE remain committed to finding solutions to achieve this and secure the long-term sustainability of general practice in England.’
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Last October, the RCN and BMA issued a similar joint statement outlining their shared expectations for general practice following the pay uplift in 2023/24.
