Whilst this "Pay Offer" only technically directly impacts nurses financially in Agender For Change contracts, working in England, and there are plenty of you, it also comes with "Proposed non-pay measures to support the NHS workforce" which will impact everyone, patients included.

So discussing it for the benefit of everyone seems appropriate, and we have seen a wide reaction to the comparison to recent offers around the UK, therefore it is an important discussion we can and should all share and learn from, regardless of where you nurse and what contract you are.

What we know from @TheRCN from here https://www.rcn.org.uk/... 

Eligible RCN Members employed on Agenda For Change contracts have the opportunity to vote to accept or reject the offer between 9am on Tuesday 28 March and 9am on Friday 14 April

The vote is a simple accept/don't accept the offer, that is to say, you will be accepting or rejecting the terms of both the pay and non-pay when you vote. 

Further details can be found via @NHSEmployers website https://www.nhsemployers.org/... with regard the pay and non-pay parts of the offer.

Pay

The "Pay Offer" consists of two pay elements, a single payment to adjust pay for 2022/3, and a pay increase of 5% for 2023/4 (with an increase for Band 2 of 10.4%)

Non-Pay

Support to nursing staff: the government wants to address some specific challenges around recruitment, retention and career development and will work with employers and trade unions to improve opportunities for nursing career progression.

Building a workforce for the future: to support the "soon-to-be-published" comprehensive NHS workforce plan, the government will set out how this will be implemented, to ensure that the NHS can recruit and retain the staff it needs in the future to meet the growing and changing health and wellbeing needs of patients.

Career development and support: the government has heard the concerns on career development and progression for NHS staff. The government wants to address these issues and will work with employers and unions to improve career development.

Review Pay setting process: the government is committed to ensuring that the pay-setting process and the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB) operate effectively. it will take the views of employers and trade unions into account and will, review the timing and appointment process for the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB), look at ways for the NHS Staff Council to have greater input into NHSPRB, identify ways to reduce the duplication of data on the NHS workforce and labour market provided by parties to the NHSPRB.

Additionally, it will look at Tackling violence and aggression and continue to review Pension abatement and caps for redundancy payments.

Falling outside the offer, there is a letter from Steve Barclay MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to Pat Cullins, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing references  "how to take account of the changing responsibilities of nursing staff; and the design and implementation issues, including scope and legal aspects, of a separate pay spine for nursing staff exclusively."

So, with you all being very busy, short staffed and living through a cost-of-living crisis, that is a lot to take on!

A couple of recent events on Twitter have given an early indication on thoughts from tweeting nurses on this offer:

@WeNurses asked you if you thought this offer was an "acceptable offer to ask nurses to accept"?

Of the 1,388 of you that voted only 13%, 183 of you, thought it was.

So... @theRCN will be asking members to vote on a 5% pay rise?

What do you think, is this an acceptable offering to ask nurses to accept?

(Polls are anonymous)

— WeNurses 💙 (@WeNurses) March 16, 2023

Additionally, looking through the comments from @TheRCN's tweet announcing the consultation process:

A consultation on the NHS pay offer in England will open at 9am on Tuesday 28 March and will close at 9am on Friday 14 April.

Eligible members will be asked to vote on whether to accept or reject the UK government’s recent pay offer. Read more below. https://t.co/Iyl0mvXb6t

— The RCN (@theRCN) March 21, 2023

At the time of writing this pre-chat, info there were 74 comments indicating or stating they would or wouldn't accept, 3 were in favor, and 71 were not; all 22 of the quote tweets suggested rejecting the offer.

Many of those commenting were very unpleased with the offer being accepted by @TheRCN and that they feel let down by asking to accept an ongoing pay cut. 

Via this chat, we will attempt to uncover as much detail and as many views as possible to enable all voting nurses to make an informed choice as well as look beyond the vote at some of the elements beyond pay and how they'll impact nursing and the delivery of care via the following chat questions:

• How has this offer, pay, and non-pay, made you feel about the short and long-term future of nursing, in or beyond England?
  
• What are your thoughts on the pay elements of the pay offer, both financially and related to creating NHS country pay differences?
• Are the non-pay elements addressing safe staffing which is a major part of @theRCN's campaign, achieving many nurses' backing?
• How can nurses vote on this offer when non-pay aspects are vague in intention and accountability, and refer to "soon-to-be-published" workforce NHS plans? 
• The strike mandate ends in May, and @TheRCN's @PatCullin9 have said to accept the offer as it is the best and last one, what are your thoughts, if it is rejected by members?
• According to many tweets, people have quickly gone from feeling supported to being let down by @theRCN, how do you feel?
• Is there enough information for eligible voters to make an informed decision? If not, where can you go to get more informed?
• Irrespective of governments, unions, or NHS (England or others) plans, what can we as individuals do now to safeguard nursing?