Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of increasing the pay of NHS staff in line with the rate of inflation.
The Government is looking to the independent Pay Review Bodies (PRBs) for a pay recommendation for the National Health Service. The PRBs consist of industry experts and recommendations are based on an assessment of evidence from stakeholders, including NHS system partners, trade unions, and the Government. These recommendations are informed by factors such as the cost of living and inflation, recruitment and retention, affordability and value for the taxpayer. We expect to formally receive the PRBs’ report shortly and we will consider the recommendations.