Hunt gives sympathy rather than wage boost to nurses
JEREMY Hunt has infuriated NHS staff by offering sympathy instead of cash to nurses suffering due to the pay cap.
Real-terms wage cuts have left hundreds of thousands of health workers underpaid, with pay rises capped at 1% a year until 2019.
Asked if he would boost nurses’ wages, the Health Secretary said he had “sympathy” for those struggling to pay their bills but public sector pay was “a matter for the Chancellor”. Graham Scott, of Nursing Standard magazine, said: “Sympathy doesn’t put food on the table.” Mr Hunt insisted he was due to discuss the matter with Royal College of Nursing chief Janet Davies. He also told NHS Confederation conference, Liverpool, the status of EU nationals working in the NHS was “top of the list” for Brexit talks.