Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. We've thanked them; we've clapped for them; we've come to appreciate them perhaps more than ever over the past 18 months. But after sacrificing so much, our NHS health and care workers across Wales deserve now to be properly and fairly rewarded through their pay. The least we think Welsh Government could do is stand alongside healthcare workers in Wales and commit to a rise above that proposed by the NHS pay review body, which, of course, doesn't even keep up with inflation. That’s why we’re holding this debate today.

Experiences of the pandemic, of course, only reinforced what was already known about the NHS and the health and care workforce—one that was suffering from staff shortages and low morale, which operated in an environment deprived of investment and resources. Now add to that a real-terms pay cut, it’s no wonder so many health and care workers have voted through their unions and representative bodies to express their anger at what they have been given.

Since when is the Welsh Government in the business of matching what we have seen from UK Government, which of course, first of all, offered up that derisory 1 per cent only to then increase to 3 per cent? We do not believe that Welsh Government should be merely matching that. 'Money doesn’t grow on trees', said the First Minister. Of course he’s right, but a failure, I think, to invest in, to support, to attract and to retain staff—the best staff, who we need—within health and care risks taking a big swinging axe to any hope of growth, of morale within health and care and of nurturing the staff that we should be treasuring.

In a recent survey, members of the Welsh NHS Confederation identified recruitment and retention of the workforce as one of the main challenges facing the NHS in Wales. To ensure NHS careers remain an attractive proposition, to keep the workforce wanting to provide care within the NHS, and being able to afford to, the workforce need to know that they are appreciated, and fair pay is at the heart of that.

During the pandemic, the nursing workforce in Wales provided clinically complex care day in, day out—leadership shown; compassionate support shown for colleagues, for patients and their families. It’s always been the case though that healthcare workers provide that level of care and dedication 24/7, 365 days a year. But we can’t just take that for granted. We need to recognise that Wales has a chronic workforce shortage. It’s failing to attract sufficient individuals into the healthcare professions; failing to encourage healthcare staff to stay. The Welsh Government has to tackle these existing workforce shortages and ensure that the healthcare professions are an attractive career option—well-paid and meaningfully supported. Fair pay is at the heart of that.

The Royal College of Nursing in Wales have, of course, led the charge to ensure that nurses in Wales get a salary that recognises their contribution to society, not just to the NHS. Throughout the pandemic, we have all witnessed the most impressive—deeply impressive—demonstration of nursing, seeing it as the highly skilled profession it is, deserving of fair pay and we owe so much to the nursing profession, as we do to other workers right across the health and care system. But now, they feel unappreciated, and who can blame them?

Unions and representative bodies have held pay consultations. A pay consultation by Unison Cymru found that 87 per cent of healthcare workers voted to oppose the offer; Unite Wales's NHS members have voted to reject their 3 per cent pay increase; 93.9 per cent of RCN Wales members who voted said that they think that the pay award is unacceptable, with only 6.1 per cent saying that it is acceptable. The RCN has decided this afternoon to move to an indicative ballot on industrial action in England, with a decision for Wales expected to be announced soon.

We hear that the Government is in talks with the unions, and I hope that the unions are successful in those discussions for the sake of the workers, for the sake of their members. And perhaps the Minister can confirm today that those talks do include a substantive pay increase—that the possibility of a substantive pay increase is on the table. There's been huge frustration in the RCN and its members at suggestions that they have somehow been pulling out of discussions with Government; it's the Government that's been saying, 'You will not discuss a substantive pay increase across the board'. I understand that a meeting is to take place perhaps as early as tomorrow, and again, perhaps the Minister can confirm that a substantive pay increase is on the table.

Other measures considered when looking at pay and conditions, measures such as increased annual leave and holiday pay are, of course, welcome, but surely the Government can accept that, at the end of the day, to really show gratitude and appreciation and recognition of the work done by our health and care workers, that has to include now a real-terms pay increase. It is time to reward our health and care workers with a new fair pay deal.