Mr Nesbitt said, “I share the Royal College of Nursing’s (RCN) frustration at the fact that recommended pay increases for 2025-26 have still not been implemented.

“In May, I announced that I was triggering the Ministerial Direction process to achieve delivery of these pay increases as soon as possible. That reflected my commitment to maintaining pay parity with England.

“In line with the Ministerial Direction process, my decision was referred to the wider Executive. Unfortunately, that's where it still sits.

“Our health workers deserve so much better.

“I note that the RCN is today saying that the ‘first step must be for the Northern Ireland Executive to deliver the long-overdue pay award for this year.’

“I couldn't agree more.”

In his announcement in May on the Ministerial Direction process, Mr Nesbitt said:

“I do not want health service staff to be demoralised by inaction and another year of uncertainty on pay. They deserve better than that. This is about treating with respect the people who keep us healthy, fix us when we are broken and keep us alive when death becomes a potential outcome.

“Falling behind pay levels across the water will also exacerbate challenges with recruitment and retention of health service staff.

“Members will know that pay parity with England for Agenda for Change staff is a well-established and hard-fought principle. I intend to maintain it.

“Failure to do so would undoubtedly lead to industrial action with all the disruption to patient care that will involve. Not to mention the negative impact on the focus to reduce waiting lists, or the overdue need to reform healthcare delivery.

“In short, the risk of a potential budget overspend must be balanced against the significant risk to service provision.”