The government has announced that nurses will receive a below-inflation pay rise.
They will be given an annual increase of about two per cent - with a rise of just 1.5 per cent in April and a further one per cent in November. The announcement was described as a "kick in the teeth" by union leaders, who believe there could be industrial action as a result.
Health secretary Patricia Hewitt said: "We appreciate that nurses will be disappointed by the staging of their award. However, overall earnings growth in the NHS will be around 4.5 per cent in 2007/08 as a result of this pay award, the government's pay reforms and opportunities for career progression.
"For nurses in particular, I expect the average earnings of nurses to rise by 4.9 per cent next year, above the national average. It is also expected that inflation across the year will be much lower than it is now.
"We will be working with the NHS, employers and unions to implement these pay increases while continuing to improve services and job security."
The public sector as a whole will see an average pay rise of 1.9 per cent, following the recommendations from the Pay Review Body (PRB).
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