UNIONS are urging the government to ditch the “broken” independent NHS pay review body (PRB) process.

Unison, Unite and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) have written to Health Secretary Wes Streeting calling on him to hold direct pay talks with unions instead.

A million NHS staff in England “yet again” face a delay in getting their pay rise in April, while ministers wait for the “inefficient, outdated and not fit for purpose” PRB to report, they said.