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​All NHS health and social care staff in Wales will be receiving approximately £500 each announced by the Welsh Government yesterday. As a way of expressing gratitude for their "extraordinary" efforts during the coronavirus pandemic said the Health Minister.

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The bonus payment will be covering an estimated 221,945 healthcare and social care professionals and allocating £735 to each worker before deducting tax and National Insurance. Leaving £500 for staff after the takeaway. 

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Spreading the cost among staff leaves the amount between 103,600 social care workers, 90,000 NHS workers, 26,000 primary care workers, and 2,345 deployed students.

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The Minister for Health and Social Services, Vaunghan Gething disclosed the announcement yesterday when saying "Over the last year, Wales’ NHS staff and social care staff have shown a remarkable amount of commitment and courage from the initial outbreak of the pandemic right through to the current second wave.

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“They will have suffered the impacts of the pandemic on their physical and mental health wellbeing in both their personal and professional lives.

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“This payment expresses our gratitude to our NHS and social care workforce for their extraordinary contribution in keeping Wales safe.”

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The bonus is a followup to the previously awarded £500 special payment for care home and domiciliary care workers in May 2020, which recognised their efforts and work in the first wave of the pandemic. With the new payment being distributed between health and social care staff. 

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Finalisation of the details for the payment scheme are being carried out by the Welsh Government in cooperation with local authorities and trade unions.

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Vaunghan also added that funding towards the lowest paid NHS staff in Wales will allow for a pay uplift and was agreed to come into effect from April.Increasing wages to the standard rate of £9.50 per hour as per the recommendation of the Living Wage Foundation.

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