Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has had discussions with trade unions on the (a) pay and (b) conditions of Emergency Care Assistants at NHS ambulance trusts.

The Secretary of State has not held any direct discussions with trade unions specifically on emergency care assistants’ (ECAs) pay or conditions but did meet the NHS Staff Council in December 2023. We negotiated a fair and reasonable deal with the NHS Staff Council that was accepted by a majority vote of unions. The NHS Staff Council has responsibility for negotiating the pay of staff on Agenda for Change contracts, which includes ECAs. Eligible ECAs will have received a 5% pay rise as a result of the deal as well as two non-consolidated payments. ECAs will also benefit from the non-pay elements of this deal, including further work supporting the career development and wellbeing of National Health Service staff.