New detailed analysis about NHS staff pay in England released for first time today

Tue, Dec 18, 2012 10:30 CET

Average basic pay among NHS staff rose slightly in 2012 but by a smaller amount than in 2011, according to experimental data published for the first time today by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

In the 12 months to September 2012, average basic pay for a full time worker was £29,316 – a £379 (1.3 per cent) rise on the 12 months to September 2011. This compares to an £722 (2.6 per cent) increase between 2010 and 2011.

While HSCIC has published quarterly earnings data since 2007; today’s report presents provisional information by 12 month period and provides different forms of data analysis by staff group within NHS hospital and community health services (excluding general practice and dental staff). In addition to estimates for Basic Pay according to Full Time Equivalent (FTE), the publication includes basic pay and overall earnings figures and also includes for the first time an analysis of additional payments per person.

Please note, as well as changes to individuals’ pay, the figures will reflect changes to the composition of staff group samples in different 12 month periods – such as relative pay levels of joiners and leavers. Also, although a two year pay freeze came into effect in April 2011 for NHS staff (with those on pay below £21,000 given a £250 increase each year), some staff will have moved up to the next incremental pay point within their Agenda for Change band within a 12 month period.

The following provisional figures relate to average full time equivalent (FTE) basic pay for a 12 month period to September of the given year. In 2012:

Hospital doctors (including consultants and registars, excluding locum doctors)

Average basic pay was £58,456 - a £784 (1.4 per cent) rise on 2011 and more than the £622 (1.1 per cent) increase between 2010 and 2011.
Of the different staff groups within this overall group:

There were no falls in average basic pay.
The greatest percentage increase between 2011 and 2012 was among “hospital practicioners and other clinical staff”, who saw a 1.6 per cent (£1,030) rise to £65,875.

Qualified nurses, midwives and health visitors

Average basic pay was £30,481 - a £216 (0.7 per cent) rise on 2011 and less than the £638 (2.2 per cent) increase between 2010 and 2011.
Of the different staff groups within this overall group:

There were no falls in basic pay, except midwifery average pay between 2011 and 2012 when rounded equates to 0.0 per cent, or a £12 decrease to £32,326.
The greatest percentage increase between 2011 and 2012 was among school nurses, who saw a 1.2 per cent (£391) rise to £32,232.

NHS Infrastructure support (including managers, estates and central functions)

Average basic pay was £27,270 - a £382 (1.4 per cent) rise on 2011 and less than the £706 (2.7 per cent) increase between 2010 and 2011.
Of the different staff groups within this overall group:

There were no falls in basic pay.
The greatest percentage increase between 2011 and 2012 was among senior managers, who saw a 2.0 per cent (£1,459) rise to £74,654.

Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff

Average basic pay was £34,354 - a £146 (0.4 per cent) rise on 2011 and less than the £666 (2.0 per cent) increase between 2010 and 2011.
Of the different staff groups within this overall group:

There was a slight fall in basic pay between 2011 and 2012 for speech and language staff of £41 (0.1 per cent) to £35,001.
The greatest percentage increase between 2011 and 2012 was among healthcare scientists, who saw a 0.8 per cent (£281) rise to £35,051.

Support to clinical staff

Average basic pay was £18,351- a £285 (1.6 per cent) rise on 2011 and less than the £533 (3.0 per cent) increase between 2010 and 2011.
Of the different staff groups within this overall group:

There were no falls in average basic pay.
The greatest percentage increase between 2011 and 2012 was among ambulance support staff, who saw a 2.0 per cent (£371) rise to £18,934.

Qualified ambulance staff

Average basic pay was £26,446 - a £147 (0.6 per cent) rise on 2011 and less than the £416 (1.6 per cent) increase between 2010 and 2011. There are no different staff groups below this group.

HSCIC chief executive Tim Straughan said: “As the NHS employs more than a million people in England, its composition is obviously of great interest to the health service and public alike.

“Today’s figures are intended to provide new insight into the average earnings of this workforce, which of course contains a complex mix of differing grades of experience and working patterns.

“Although they are experimental, the figures do point to a small increase in average basic pay for most staff groups between 2011 and 2012.”

The report is at: www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/staffearnjulsep12

Today’s report is based on samples sizes within staff groups. HSCIC also publishes a separate monthly statistical report providing provisional total staff numbers. The latest report is available at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/provmonthlyhchsworkforcesep12

Notes to editors

HSCIC was previously known as the NHS Information Centre. It is England’s authoritative, independent source of health and social care information. It works with a wide range of health and social care providers nationwide to provide the facts and figures that help the NHS and social services run effectively. Its role is to collect data, analyse it and convert it into useful information which helps providers improve their services and supports academics, researchers, regulators and policymakers in their work. The HSCIC also produces a wide range of statistical publications each year across a number of areas including: primary care, health and lifestyles, screening, hospital care, population and geography, social care and workforce and pay statistics.
Experimental statistics” are new official statistics that are undergoing evaluation. A key part of the “Experimental statistics” label is user engagement in the evaluation of those statistics. The HSCIC invites readers to comment on this publication, which will help inform the next report. Comments may be sent to enquiries@ic.nhs.uk.
The figures reflect the average pay of those in the staff group in each 12 month period, and are therefore affected by the rise due to natural pay progression through the incremental pay scale within each Agenda for Change Band and by the pay of those joiners and leavers within the 12 month period, as well as by changes in individuals’ pay.
The Agenda for Change system allocates NHS posts to set pay bands, using the Job Evaluation Scheme. Staff are placed in one of nine pay bands on the basis of their knowledge, responsibility, skills and effort needed for the job. The assessment of each post, using the Job Evaluation Scheme (JES), determines the correct pay band for each post, and as a result, the correct basic pay. Within each pay band, there are a number of pay points. As staff successfully develop their skills and knowledge, they progress in annual increments up to the maximum of their pay band, At two defined "gateway points" on each pay band, pay progression is based on them demonstrating the applied knowledge and skills for that job.
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