HEALTH workers will get a one per cent pay rise for the second year in a row – guaranteeing all NHS staff receive the living wage, the health secretary announced yesterday.

Shona Robison said the move meant men and women employed by the NHS in Scotland would get “a better deal than their counterparts south of the Border”, who did not benefit from a salary increase this financial year.

From the start of April, hospital staff and staff working in the community will receive the small hike, and, as with last year’s pay review, those earning less than £21,000 a year will be given extra cash to ensure their pay is raised by at least £300 annually. The living wage currently stands at £7.85 an hour in Scotland.

Robison said the rise was being implemented despite cuts by Westminster to the Scottish Government’s budget.

“I can confirm that our hard-working and dedicated NHS Scotland staff will rightly receive the wage increases they were promised.

“This means that all NHS staff groups in Scotland will receive a one per cent pay increase and we will supplement the pay of those currently earning under £21,000 to ensure they receive an increase of at least £300,” she said.

“While the independently recommended uplift is modest, it comes against the background of substantial cuts in Scotland’s budget from Westminster and will continue to give NHS staff in Scotland a better deal than their counterparts south of the Border.”

She added: “As well as delivering the fully consolidated pay rise for NHS staff, and guaranteeing that all employees are paid at least the living wage, we are also committed to no compulsory redundancies.

“This stands in contrast to the actions of the UK Government, who are not providing the same for staff in NHS England.

“Our commitment to this pay increase, and to the living wage, for NHS workers underlines our commitment to frontline staffdelivering services for the people of Scotland.”

The move comes after the Scottish Government accepted recommendations put forward by the NHS Pay Review Body and Doctors’ and Dentists’ Pay Review Body.

Scotland was the only part of the UK to agree to the requestfor a pay rise for NHS staff in 2014-15.

The increase will mean that from April 1 this year the starting salary for a Band 5 nurse in Scotland will be £21,818, with the Scottish Government stating this is over £120 more than in England and Wales.

For an experienced Band 5 nurse at the top of their pay scale, salaries in Scotland will rise to £28,462, which is £282 more than south of the Border, according to the Scottish Government.

Meanwhile the Doctors and Dentist Remuneration Body has also recommended a 1% pay rise for hospital doctors and dentists which has also been accepted by the Scottish Government.

RCN Scotland director Theresa Fyffe said: “We are committed to the independent NHS Pay Review Body, which recommended a 1% pay rise for all NHS staff, which the Scottish Government has now accepted.

“This modest pay rise, however, comes at a time when staff are under unprecedented pressure and working flat out to cope with the increasing demand on services in our hospitals and out in the community.

“With health boards desperately trying to meet targets and balance their books, the pressures on staff are only set to increase.”

Last year SNP ministers were praised by unions after they announced a higher pay increase for NHS workers than that offered south of the Border.

Tom Waterson, chairman of Unison’s Scottish health committee, said at the time: “We are delighted the Scottish government has decided to implement the recommendations of the pay review body.”