Responding to evidence submitted to the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB) by the government and NHS Employers, the PDA said the focus of the 2027/28 pay round must be on retaining the skilled workforce the NHS depends upon. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England joint written evidence to the NHS Pay Review Body for the 2027 to 2028 pay round states that any pay award must be funded from existing budgets and that the DHSC has planned for a pay uplift of 2.4% without having to make trade-offs against headline government health commitments.
It is important to understand that the process in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland is of an appointed Pay Review Body receiving evidence from various sources before recommending an increase for those governments to consider. This is not a negotiation process, and therefore the evidence to the PRB is not an ‘offer’.
Pay awards for staff on the NHS Agenda for Change salary scale have been considerably below those given to doctors and dentists. Cumulative uplifts for resident doctors in England from 2023 to 2026 have topped up their pay by 35%. Meanwhile, Agenda for Change staff have had headline pay rises of 18.5% in the same period.
The PDA has said that, “NHS pharmacists have seen the scope and complexity of their work increase significantly in recent years. They are helping to deliver more clinical services, taking on greater responsibility and playing a crucial role in providing safe patient care.
Yet once again, the evidence submitted to the Pay Review Body is framed around what ministers and employers say they can afford, rather than what is needed to recruit, retain, and properly reward the workforce.
The NHS cannot deliver its stated ambitions for patients without the skilled professionals who provide care every day. Pay must be viewed as an investment in the workforce, not simply as a cost pressure to be contained. Pharmacists and other NHS staff need confidence that their contribution is recognised and valued.
The Pay Review Body must consider the real workforce consequences of failing to keep NHS pay competitive, and what that means to individual patient care and the health of the nation.”
The PDA will continue to make the case for fair pay and rewarding careers for NHS pharmacists, recognising that a sustainable workforce is essential to delivering safe and effective patient care.
The PDA also note that the government’s own evidence to the Pay Review Body highlights the unfair treatment of pharmacy students who are excluded from some aspects of the Learning Support Fund which are available to those studying to join other healthcare professions. This issue is something entirely within the government’s own ability to fix, and the PDA reiterates its call for this to be actioned without delay.
Learn more
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