Scotland's full-time NHS and social care workers to get one-off £500 bonus

All health and social care workers in Scotland are to receive a one-off £500 payment - as a "thank you" for their work during the coronavirus pandemic.

The payment applies to full-time workers, with part-time staff receiving a proportionate sum.

It applies to all NHS and social care workers employed since March 17 this year, including staff who have had to shield, or who have since retired.

This investment of around £180 million will see more than 300,000 staff gain some money, including nurses, porters, doctors, primary care staff, homecare workers, care home staff, hospice staff and residential child care staff.

The first minister said: "Back in the spring, at the height of the first wave of Covid, many of us publicly - and often loudly - showed our appreciation for the work our NHS and social care staff were doing.

"The applause was important, but it was never enough. Our appreciation must be shown in a more tangible way.

"We’re in the early stages of negotiating a new pay deal for NHS Agenda for Change staff for 2021/22. The UK Government's public sector pay policy will not make that task easy, but we will do our level best to give NHS staff the pay increase they deserve. However, these negotiations will take time to conclude.

"Those who have worked in our hospitals and care homes - at the sharpest end of the Covid trauma - deserve recognition now.

"So I can announce today that, on behalf of us all, the Scottish Government will give every full time NHS and social care worker £500 as a one-off thank you payment for their extraordinary service in this toughest of years. Those who work part time will get a proportionate share.

"The money will be paid in this financial year and it will be separate from any negotiations about pay for the longer term. There are no strings attached.

"Of course, a payment like this can never come close to expressing our full admiration for those who have cared for us so heroically. But to our health and care workers, it is a demonstration of what we collectively owe you - and a heartfelt thank you for the sacrifices you have made."

She has urged Westminster to ensure the payment is not taxed.

The announcement was made on the final day of the SNP conference, where Nicola Sturgeon has also focused on her party's desire to hold a second independence referendum.

But Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross has accused Ms Sturgeon of being "completely out of touch" for pushing for the referendum during a pandemic.

On spending, he added: "This was a series of SNP promises brought to you by Rishi Sunak’s spending.

"It seems the SNP are finally getting around to using the vast sums of UK Government funding to fight the pandemic, although businesses and workers will be left wondering why they held off until SNP conference to finally get the money out the door on announcements that should have been made weeks ago."

Unison Scotland has welcomed the commitment to the extra payment for health workers.

Regional secretary Mike Kirby said: "We welcome today’s announcement on a bonus payment for NHS and social care workers which is the result of many months of pressure from Unison, Scotland's largest union. It is no less than they deserve for taking care of us and the most vulnerable in our society during this unprecedented crisis.

"These are all just ordinary people who have been thrust into an extraordinary situation and it is high time the Scottish government recognises them for the vital work they do - not only during the pandemic - but each and every day.

"There is still a lot of work still to be done to work out the detail and, importantly, how we can get the money into the pockets of our hard-working and dedicated NHS and social care workers. Unison will continue to work with the Scottish Government to ensure this happens as soon as possible."