The government has announced a major overhaul of the salary structure in the National Health Service.

Under the plan, nurses, therapists and support staff will all receive a minimum 10 per cent pay rise.

There will be a minimum wage of £10,100 for NHS staff and more than £110 million has been reserved for those working in London.

Forum Response: Royal College of Nursing

Dr Beverly Malone, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: "We welcome the secretary of state's announcement on the future of NHS pay and careers. Pay and career development is the key to recruiting new nurses and retaining experienced nurses. Nurses are the biggest group of NHS staff that will be affected by this over the next few years.

"The RCN has been at the centre of these key negotiations in representing nurses. It is fundamental to high quality patient care that we have a motivated and experienced nursing workforce. The NHS has suffered from persistent recruitment and retention problems, leading to an over dependency on expensive nursing agencies and internationally recruited nurses.

"This is an exciting time for nursing. This is a restructuring of both pay and careers from which the majority of nurses could benefit by 2004 when it is proposed to roll the package out across the whole NHS. In the short term we are disappointed with the proposed 3.225 per cent rise next year. However in the long term, if this package is acceptable to our membership, there could be significant benefits for nurses in terms of pay and career opportunities.

"The RCN Council will look carefully at the proposals and will consult with our members when the full details are announced in January."