NHS Employers has proposed a national enabling framework to freeze pay in return for a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies.
Twelve NHS chief executives have signed a letter supporting the proposal, which would allow employers to freeze incremental pay for all staff groups.
If agreed, the framework, which was proposed following discussions with trade unions, would help employers manage costs and minimise job losses in order to deliver required efficiencies over the next two years.
The key parties are also exploring the option to defer any increases in staff pension contributions for the same period (2011 to 2013) in the trusts that implement the framework.
A letter from the chief executives, published in the Health Service Journal on 4 January 2011, stated: “We believe that this is a fair deal and one that can be delivered.
“It is not only desirable as a way of dealing with financial pressures, it is essential in order to be able to protect employment and staffing levels.”