UNIONS who fought the Welsh Government over a pay rise for health workers in Wales have said that a freshly agreed increase needs to put in staff’s pay packets “as soon as possible.”

While the Royal College of Nursing Wales remains in a pay dispute after nurse members rejected the latest in a series of Welsh Government offers, Unison - the largest health union in Wales - consulted with staff on Agenda for Change contracts (those directly employed by the NHS) over the Welsh government’s pay offer for 2023/24 and an additional one-off ‘recovery payment’ for the previous financial year - with 78 per cent of members giving the offer the green light.

The offer consisted of a five per cent wage increase (payable from 1 April 2023) and an additional one-off payment for 2022/23 – worth between £900 and £1,190.

All NHS unions met on Monday, 22 May declaring the majority of health unions in favour of the deal.

A final decision to implement the offer was made by the Welsh Government last Wednesday.

Welsh Government Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: “I am pleased that, overall, union members have accepted our offer and am grateful to all our unions for working with us in social partnership.

“I have therefore decided to implement the offer for all Welsh NHS Agenda for Change staff and Welsh Government will immediately begin the process for making the pay award so that workers receive the payments as soon as practicable.

“The offer we made came as a result of negotiations which were challenging for all sides.

“We have been transparent regarding the difficult financial position facing the Welsh Government without additional funding from Westminster.

“Two unions remain in dispute regarding the 2022-23 pay award and I do recognise the strength of feeling amongst members of all unions whether they voted to accept or to reject.

“While maintaining the collective agreement, we will continue discussions where we can in order to seek to address legitimate specific concerns and to avoid any further industrial action.”

Unison Cymru/Wales head of bargaining and campaigns Jess Turner said: “We’re pleased the new pay offer will now be rolled out but it’s vital that it reaches pockets of NHS staff in Wales without delay.

“Thanks to this deal, NHS staff will receive their pay rise much sooner than in previous years. This sets an expectation for the way NHS pay is approached in future in Wales.”