NHS SCOTLAND workers could be in line for the “best negotiable” pay package, Unite said today as it recommended that its members accept the latest offer.

Nurses and healthcare staff north of the border have been offered a 5.5 per cent  pay increase, backdated to April 1, by the Scottish government.

The package is estimated to be worth £448 million in 2024-25.

If the offer is accepted, the minimum uplift for the lowest-paid workers, at grade, would be £1,278 and the new hourly rate would be £12.71.

Unite lead negotiator James O’Connell said that the union “has been engaged in constructive discussions with the Scottish government for a number of weeks to get a credible pay offer on the table for our valued NHS workers.

“We believe that the current 5.5 per cent offer is the best negotiable under the present circumstances and it represents an increase above inflation.

“Unite will now initiate a ballot of our NHS Scotland membership and it will come with a recommendation to accept.

“The final decision is always in the hands of our membership, who will ultimately decide whether the deal is good enough.”