Pay Bands for Midwives & Nurses
This page gives general information on the system of pay bands in the NHS known as Agenda for Change, and specific information for the different levels of pay for nurses and midwives.
General information about pay in the NHS
Most jobs in the NHS are covered by the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales. This pay system covers all staff except doctors, dentists and the most senior managers.
In AfC the NHS job evaluation system determines a points score which is used to match jobs to one of the nine pay bands and determine levels of basic salary.
Each of the nine pay band has a number of pay points. Staff will normally progress to the next pay point annually until they reach the top of the pay band. In addition to basic pay, there is also extra pay for staff who work in high cost areas such as around London.
Your career in nursing and midwifery could start at an Agenda for Change Band 2 as a clinical support worker (nursing) rising to nurse consultant at a Band 8a-c. Examples of other roles, with typical Agenda for Change pay bands include: maternity care assistant (Band 4); nurse (Band 5); midwife entry level (Band 5) rising to Band 6; health visitor (Band 6); nurse team leader (Band 6); nurse advanced (Band 7); midwife team manager (Band 7); modern matron (Band 8a); and nurse consultant (Band 8a-c).
What do nurses and midwives earn?
The following information gives an indication of which Agenda for Change pay bands certain job titles fit into and is based on the nationally produced job profiles. It can be used as a guide to the levels of pay, but please note that some job vacancies advertised in the NHS may carry very slightly different job titles to those provided here. For actual pay rates, please click on the link below.
Clinical support worker nursing (community) - Band 2
Clinical support worker nursing (hospital) - Band 2
Clinical support worker nursing higher level (community) - Band 3
Clinical support worker nursing higher level (hospital) - Band 3
Clinical support worker nursing higher level (mental health) - Band 3
Maternity care assistant - Band 4
Nurse associate practitioner acute - Band 4
Nurse associate practitioner (community) - Band 4
Nurse associate practitioner (mental health) - Band 4
Nursery nurse (community) - Band 4
Midwife entry level - Band 5
Nurse - Band 5
Nurse community - Band 5
Nurse GP practice - Band 5
Nurse mental health - Band 5
Nurse schools - Band 5
Nurse learning disabilities - Band 5
Theatre nurse - Band 5
Health visitor - Band 6
Midwife community - Band 6
Midwife hospital - Band 6
Midwife integrated - Band 6
Nurse team leader (learning disabilites) - Band 6
Nurse specialist - Band 6
Nurse specialist (community) - Band 6
Nurse specialist (GP practice) - Band 6
Nurse specialist (learning disability) - Band 6
Nurse specialist (NHS Direct) - Band 6
Nurse specialist (schools) - Band 6
Nurse specialist (special schools) - Band 6
Nurse specialist mental health (community) - Band 6
Nurse team leader - Band 6
Theatre nurse specialist - Band 6
Health visitor specialist - Band 7
Health visitor team manager - Band 7
Midwife higher level - Band 7
Midwife higher level (research projects) - Band 7
Midwife team manager - Band 7
Nurse advanced - Band 7
Nurse advanced (schools) - Band 7
Nurse team manager - Band 7
Nurse team manager (learning disabilities) - Band 7
Nurse team manager (mental health) community - Band 7
Nurse team manager (NHS Direct) - Band 7
Nurse team manager (schools) - Band 7
Nurse team manager (community) - Band 7
Nursing health visitor specialist (community practice teacher) - Band 7
Midwife consultant - Band 8a-c
Modern matron - Band 8a
Nurse consultant - Band 8a-c
Where can I get more information about Agenda for Change?
The Department of Health website (www.dh.gov.uk) provides information about Agenda for Change. From the home page, select “Policy and Guidance” and follow the links to human resources and training/modernising pay/Agenda for Change. The information available includes:
* job profiles
* the NHS Job Evaluation Handbook
* the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework
* the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook
The NHS Employers website (Where can I get more information about Agenda for Change?
The Department of Health website (www.dh.gov.uk) provides information about Agenda for Change. From the home page, select “Policy and Guidance” and follow the links to human resources and training/modernising pay/Agenda for Change. The information available includes:
* job profiles
* the NHS Job Evaluation Handbook
* the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework
* the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook
The NHS Employers website (www.nhsemployers.org) also provides information about Agenda for Change.
This article was originally published by NHS Careers