NHS staff in fresh pay vow
A NURSING leader in Wales says NHS staff “will not back down” from the government until they are appropriately respected and protected for their work.
Helen Whyley, director of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Wales, said nurses across Wales feel “exhausted and undervalued” due to the intense demands placed upon them since the start of the pandemic.
She said this was compounded by the Welsh Government offering NHS workers a below-inflation pay rise of 3% which she described as “derogatory”.
In September, 94% of voting RCN Wales members said the pay award was “unacceptable”, with just 6.1% stating it was “acceptable”. A ballot has now been opened with members on their willingness to take industrial action and it will run until November 30.
“The pandemic is clearly not over. There are still incredibly high risks for our nursing professionals, and enormous pressures routinely faced in the line of their work,” said Helen Whyley.
“They accept this and get on with their jobs because they care deeply about their patients and their profession. They have a sense of loyalty and duty. But they are not robots.
“There is no escaping the fact that a great many nurses are mentally and physically exhausted from the intense demands placed upon them since the start of 2020. This is compounded by the significant nursing vacancies which in turn comprise patient safety and the quality of care.
“In addition, nursing staff working in the NHS in Wales feel undervalued and unappreciated by the political powers in Cardiff Bay and London. But nurses feel so strongly that their pay award is not acceptable they have to campaign against the derogatory 3% pay award from the Welsh Government.”
A survey of 2,011 RCN Wales members in June 2020 found that the level of stress among respondents had increased, whilst the level of staff morale had decreased.
Three quarters of members surveyed (76%) reported an increase in stress levels, whilst over half (58%) said that staff morale had worsened.
“In the 2020 RCN Wales member survey, we asked members how they had felt about staying in or leaving the nursing profession at the end of the previous year, and how the expected to feel by the end of 2020,” said Ms Whyley.
“While 27% had been either thinking about or strongly thinking about leaving the profession at the end of 2019, 36.7% said they expected to be considering leaving or strongly considering leaving by the end of 2020. This sharp rise is worrying and shows the significant impact of Covid-19 and chronic workforce pressures.”
Ms Whyley said the increased national insurance contributions will reduce the 3% NHS pay award to 1.75%.
“Also, nursing pay has not kept up with other professions. For example, a newly-qualified teacher starts on £27,018 annually while a newlyqualified nurse receives £25,655. And in 2019, NHS Wales spent £69m on nursing agencies – that would pay the salaries of 2,691 newly qualified nurses.
“Moreover, the 3% pay rise announced by the Welsh Government in July is lower than the Bank of England’s rate of inflation. That currently stands at 3.1% and is expected to rise to over 4%. In costof-living terms, it means nursing staff will effectively receive a pay cut. They have been given nothing.”
RCN Wales said it had no choice but to lodge a formal trade dispute with the Welsh Government in October after hearing the “frustration and anger” of its members.
“We asked them to meet with us to discuss improving their percentage offer but they refused. We were left with no other option but to take the next step towards industrial action,” said Ms Whyley.
A new RCN Wales indicative ballot, running now until the end of the November, asks eligible members if they are willing to take industrial action such as strike, or action short of strike.
The result will not directly authorise industrial action, but it will influence how the RCN moves forward.
“Industrial action is always a last resort, but the current staffing crisis is causing unacceptable risk to patients and staff. Investment in the nursing workforce has never been more urgently needed,” she added.
“In Wales, we have more than more than 1,700 vacancies for registered nurses in the NHS alone. These unfilled positions, combined with the other pressures, are creating a huge strain on the workforce as we enter the darkest winter months.
“Improved pay would help to keep nursing working in the profession as well as attracting more people to become nurses. Filling these vacancies is crucial to ensure that patients are cared for safely, and that there is time to care for them sensitivity, the people of Wales deserve this.”
The union confirmed a majority vote in favour of rejection will be a trigger for a ballot for industrial action.