Nursing unions in Scotland have announced plans for consulting their members on the 2025-26 NHS pay offer, with some ballots launching today.
Unison and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) have now launched consultations on the latest Agenda for Change pay offer put forward by the Scottish Government last week.
“We believe this offer is the best that can be achieved through negotiation in the current climate”
Emma Currer
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will also begin to consult its members from next week.
If accepted by unions, nurses and other NHS staff will receive a 4.25% increase for 2025-26 and a rise of 3.75% for 2026-27.
Over the two years, this is a cumulative uplift of 8.16%.
The proposed deal has also promised an “inflation guarantee”, which will ensure the increase in pay each year is a minimum of one percentage point higher than average Consumer Price Index inflation.
Worth over £700m over the two-year period, the offer came as a result of direct negotiations between health trade unions, employers and the Scottish Government.
Today, Unison Scotland announced that it would be recommending that its members accept the pay deal.
The union’s co-lead for health, Matt McLaughlin, said: “The union’s health committee believes this is the best that can be achieved through negotiations.
“That’s why the recommendation to NHS workers is that they vote to accept the offer in the consultative ballot. But of course, Unison members always have the final say.”
The RCM also launched a consultation of its members, which will close on Wednesday 7 May.
The union has made no recommendation on whether its members should accept or reject the deal.
RCM national officer for Scotland, Emma Currer, said: “We believe this offer is the best that can be achieved through negotiation in the current climate, but it’s crucial we hear the views of all our eligible members on this offer.
“So, we are urging our members to respond to our consultation and to encourage their colleagues to do so as well.”
Meanwhile, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Scotland will launch a consultation with its members from 23 April until 14 May 2025.
Nursing Times asked the union whether it would be making a recommendation, and it said it would not.
Addressing members, Julie Lambeth, chair of the RCN Scotland board, said: “It will be up to you, our members, to decide if this offer for the two years meets your expectations.
“I would encourage you to review the detail of the offer, work out what it means for you and use your vote when the consultation opens on 23 April.
“As the largest profession in the NHS we want to make sure our voice is heard so please, take five minutes to check that the contact and employment information the RCN has for you is correct.”
Meanwhile, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, nurses and other NHS staff are still awaiting a pay deal.
Nursing Times reported yesterday that the NHS Pay Review Body handed its recommendations for 2025-26 to ministers last week, but the details are yet to be made public.
More on the Scottish pay offer
