When considering any profession, one factor that should be considered greatly is salary. As aspiring healthcare professionals, working within the NHS is usually apart of career progression, and so, knowing salary prospects can be a vital step in deciding which area of healthcare to go in to.

 The NHS Terms and Conditions for service (AKA: Agenda for Change) describe the conditions of employment and set out the legal agreements which apply to all non-medical NHS staff (excluding very senior managers). In these terms and conditions, there are 7 parts, which include: Principles and Partnership, Pay, Terms and Conditions of Service, Employee Relations, Equal Opportunities, Operating the System, and Maintenance.

 Payment of Staff within the non-medical category, is split into 9 different payment bands, which are determined by ‘job weight’ with a higher band equating to a higher salary. A salary within band 1 would be around £21,000 per annum, and in band 9 it would be around £100,000. Examples of band 1 careers would be: housekeeping, domestic support working etc. Examples of band 9 careers would be: Chief finance managing, estates and facilities directing etc. Within certain careers like nursing, there is the opportunity to move between bands upon promotion, e.g. moving through from band 5 to band 9 (however this would take time and perhaps also extra training courses and assessments).