The health secretary has appeared to rule out a 10% pay rise for nurses, insisting the move is “not affordable”.
Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to Northwick Park Hospital, Steve Barclay reiterated that the independent pay review body is the “right way” to deal with disputes between health unions and the government.
Pressed on whether a 10% pay increase for nurses was reasonable, he said: “Well 10% is not affordable, it would be an extra £3.6bn a year and obviously that would take money away from patient services, essential services that we need to invest in, given the backlogs from the pandemic.”
The health secretary continued: “I have discussions with the Treasury, as do other secretaries of state, and these things need to be balanced not just with the needs of teachers, with the education secretary, or train drivers, with the transport secretary, but also what’s affordable for your viewers in terms of their own cost of living pressures.”