Public health pay rises: funding agreed

29 May 2019

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When the new Agenda for Change deal was announced last year, the government promised it would be fully funded. NHS employers were given funds directly last year to cover the additional costs, but this year it has been incorporated into the tariff.

But it was unclear how Agenda for Change rises would be funded for staff who provide public health services that are commissioned by local authorities, such as health visitors and school nurses.
School Nurse

NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care disputed who should pay, with the possibility it could fall to NHS employers if no agreement was reached.

The total cost of funding the pay rises is £50m, but the Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement have moved to ensure that employers would not be out of pocket in 2019/20.

The £50m cost will be divided between the NHS budget – overseen by NHS England – and the Department, with the former paying the most.

A Department spokesperson said: ‘As we, NHS England and NHS Improvement have communicated to the healthcare system, we have agreed that the costs of the Agenda for Change deal for eligible NHS providers delivering public health services will be covered by the NHS budget.

‘The pay uplift for staff in eligible non-NHS providers will be covered by our budget.’