Unite the union will ballot its NHS Scotland membership on the new pay offer with a recommendation to accept.

Nurses and healthcare staff across Scotland have been offered a pay increase of 5.5% by the Scottish Government which will be backdated to 1 April 2024. The overall package is estimated to be worth £448m in 2024-25.

The pay package, which the union described as ‘best negotiable', would mean a new hourly rate of £12.71 and the minimum uplift for lowest paid workers (grade 1) would be £1,278.

James O'Connell, Unite lead negotiator for the health sector, said: ‘The final decision is always in the hands of our membership who will ultimately decide whether the deal is good enough.'