Health Secretary Stephen Barclay will later meet bosses at the Royal College of Nursing to discuss pay, after the union suspended next week’s planned strike.
In a joint statement, after months of bitter dispute, the two sides said they would begin “in-depth discussions” on “pay, terms and conditions” and “reforms to increase productivity”.
The RCN had originally called for a 5% pay rise above inflation.
He has since said that he is willing to meet the government halfway.
Other health unions said they were disappointed they were not invited to the debate.
Next week’s walkout in England, from March 1 to 3, was set to be the biggest strike in the pay dispute this winter, with half of frontline services affected.
The action would have included nursing staff in emergency departments, intensive care units, cancer care and other services previously exempt.
RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: “We’ll put our plans on the table, they can put their plans on the table – but I’m confident we’ll come out with a fair pay settlement for our nursing staff.”
He added that he will ensure that no stone is left unturned and a fair wage agreement is reached as soon as possible so that they can end the strikes.
Ministers have for months refused to discuss a 2022-23 pay award increase of 4.75% for nurses and other staff on average.
The RCN, for its part, had drawn that line in the sand – and it’s fair to assume that the union’s boss, Pat Cullen, would not have been involved in new talks had the government’s stance not been softened.
Shortly after the announcement that the two sides would resume talks, the government also unveiled its plans for pay rises for 2023-24, which will take effect in April.
He told the NHS pay review body he was willing to pay a 3.5 per cent rise. But it does not rule out going above that.
No one is confirming the exact scope of Wednesday’s talks, but it appears some sort of payment to add to the existing award will be on the table this year.
Sources close to the negotiations said the door has been opened to backdating next year’s pay award.
The joint statement said: “The Government and the RCN have agreed to enter into an intensive dialogue process.
“Both sides are committed to finding a fair and reasonable settlement that recognizes the vital role nurses and nursing play in the NHS and the Prime Minister’s priority to halve the wider economic pressures and inflation facing the UK.
“The Health Secretary will meet the RCN on Wednesday to begin negotiations. The RCN will suspend strike action during these negotiations.”
Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents health managers, said he would “breathe a sigh of relief” at the news.
“The last few weeks have seen an alarming increase in industrial action, which has hit patients hard. This is the ray of hope we all need,” he said.
But a spokesman for Unison, a health union, said the government’s decision to meet only the Royal College of Nursing – and not them – “will do nothing to resolve the NHS pay dispute”.
The NHS is facing further industrial action from unions representing ambulance drivers and junior doctors, and further dates may yet be announced.
