What nurses, healthcare assistants, doctors, midwives, and allied health professionals earn across HSC trusts and private healthcare in Northern Ireland — junior to lead, by role.
Northern Ireland's Health and Social Care (HSC) system is the region's largest employer, and demand for registered nurses, healthcare assistants, and allied health professionals remains high across Belfast, Derry~Londonderry, and every HSC trust area. Most HSC roles are paid on the Agenda for Change banding structure, while private providers set their own pay independently.
The figures below reflect typical gross annual salary ranges (in GBP) for healthcare and nursing roles advertised in Northern Ireland, drawn from live listings on NIjobsearch, HSC banding data, and the wider NI private healthcare market. Bank, agency, and night/weekend shift work often pays above the base ranges shown.
| Role | Level | Salary Range | Typical Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare Assistant | Junior | £20,000 – £24,000 | £22,000 |
| Registered Nurse (Band 5) | Junior | £28,000 – £34,000 | £31,000 |
| Senior Nurse / Specialist (Band 6–7) | Mid | £34,000 – £46,000 | £40,000 |
| Mental Health Nurse | Mid | £30,000 – £44,000 | £37,000 |
| Midwife | Mid | £30,000 – £45,000 | £38,000 |
| Theatre Nurse / ODP | Mid | £31,000 – £46,000 | £39,000 |
| Occupational Therapist | Mid | £28,000 – £43,000 | £35,000 |
| Physiotherapist | Mid | £28,000 – £43,000 | £35,000 |
| Paramedic | Mid | £27,000 – £40,000 | £33,000 |
| Pharmacist | Mid | £40,000 – £55,000 | £47,000 |
| Ward / Nurse Manager | Senior | £44,000 – £58,000 | £50,000 |
| GP / Doctor | Senior | £60,000 – £110,000+ | £80,000 |
A Band 5 registered nurse in Northern Ireland typically earns between £28,000 and £34,000, averaging around £31,000. Band 6-7 senior and specialist nurses average around £40,000.
Most HSC nursing and clinical roles are paid on the Agenda for Change banding structure, from Band 2 (healthcare assistant) through Band 5 (newly registered nurse) up to Band 8+ for senior clinical and management roles, with incremental pay points within each band based on experience.
Yes — Northern Ireland's HSC trusts have reported persistent nurse and healthcare assistant vacancies, particularly in community nursing, mental health, and theatre nursing, which has supported steady salary growth and increased use of bank and agency shifts at premium rates.
Private and independent healthcare providers in Northern Ireland can offer higher base pay or more flexible shift premiums than HSC trust roles for some specialisms, though NHS/HSC roles typically come with stronger pension and job security benefits.
The ranges on this page are indicative gross annual salaries in pounds sterling for full-time roles advertised in Northern Ireland. Based on live job listings and NI HSC pay scales. They are not official statistics, and what you are offered depends on the employer, location, hours, experience and negotiation. Ranges were last reviewed in July 2026; this page was last updated on 6 October 2026 with this methodology note and links to live jobs.
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