Responding to reports on forthcoming pay awards for public sector workers including NHS staff, the interim chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery, said:

"The forthcoming announcement on staff pay will be a key moment for the NHS.

"It is really important to recognise the contribution made by staff through these very challenging times.

"Inflation is truly biting, with workers hit by rising household and fuel bills.

"Trusts are already doing all they can within tight budgets to support lower paid staff, including foodbanks so staff can put meals on the table at home.

"With more than 100,000 vacancies in the NHS, pay will be a crucial ingredient to support recruitment and retention.

"But NHS budgets are severely stretched, with high efficiency targets. Nationally, NHS England has absorbed £800m additional costs for COVID-19 testing and upwards of £1.5bn for inflation already this year, at a time when the overall NHS budget is falling in real terms. So it is also vital that any increase in pay is fully funded by government.

"If it's not we will see vital resources being diverted from frontline care at a time of unprecedented operational pressure."