GP partners in England have been urged to pay their nursing staff a 6% pay uplift for the current financial year, 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’.
In a joint statement, published on Monday this week, the BMA’s GP Committee England (GPCE) and the RCN warned that ‘systemic issues’, including the outdated Carr-Hill formula, leave many general practice employers without the necessary resources to meet patient demand and annual staff pay increases.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.’
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.’
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.
On Monday, the Government revealed in its submission to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) that it has set aside funding to offer GPs a maximum 2.8% pay rise for 2025/26, and NHS England stressed any recommendation above this would cost the health service.
A version of this article was first published by Pulse’s sister title Nursing in Practice
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Is this really happening? Are BMA even able to remember whom they represent beyond the trans agenda?
Glad I quit them in July over their position on Crass report
Where was BMA when locums took 10% pay cut.
If GP contractors don’t give a 6% pay rise to their practice nurses, how can they look the Govt in the face and ask for a 6-10% uplift for themselves?
Perhaps the RCN could also teach the craven BMA how to organise highly visible campaigns that show to the public that GPs are working in a dire over-regulated, underfunded environment because of successive politicians’ interference.
In an ideal world it would be wonderful to give all the staff a decent pay rise.
Slight problem could be that if the practice gives out unaffordable and unsustainable pay rises and goes bankrupt then the staff are out of work with zero income.
General Practice needs to be properly funded.