14th report on nursing staff, midwives, health visitors 1997

The Review Body aims to ensure fair play for nursing staff and believes that local pay determination can play a role in fulfilling that task.

This report reveals that it has decided that for 1996-97, there should be a total uprating of 2.8 per cent over the uprated 1995-96 salary scales and recommends for 1997-98 a 3.3 per cent increase in the uprated national scales, payable from April, 1997.

It also recommends that separately identified funds be made available within the Health Departments that Trusts might draw on, as and when they can demonstrate that they have a viable strategy for restructuring remuneration, to the benefit of the service offered to patients and the nursing staff who provide it.