Nurses campaign to be given a 12.5% pay rise
ANEW campaign has been launched which calls for nursing staff across the UK to be given a 12.5% pay rise.
Focusing initially on an immediate pay rise for nursing staff in the NHS across the UK, it aims to also benefit nursing staff working for independent employers.
Following engagement with Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members, the Fair Pay for Nursing campaign aims to secure a fullyfunded 12.5% pay increase for all staff covered by Agenda for Change as part of a one-year deal that applies equally to all bands.
More than 1,000 nurses took to the streets in Wales to demand a pay rise earlier this month.
Nurses here are in the final year of a three-year pay deal agreed in 2018 that was almost identical to the pay rise agreed in England at the same time.
The RCN says a pay rise will:
■ recognise the skill, accountability and expertise of a safety-critical profession;
■ recognise that the salaries of nursing staff have not kept pace with increases in the cost of living;
■ help provide safe and effective patient care for all people of the UK by addressing the staffing crisis within nursing.
Today there are an estimated 50,000 registered nurse vacancies in the NHS in the UK.
The RCN claims this is impacting the safety of patients as well as morale and wellbeing in the nursing profession at a crucial time.
Worryingly, there are signs that the pressures on the nursing workforce could increase.
A recent survey of 42,000 RCN members showed that 35% are thinking of leaving the profession this year, with more than half citing pay as a factor.
Dame Donna Kinnair, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “The Fair Pay for Nursing campaign is about recognising the skill, experience and responsibility demonstrated every day, in every year, by nursing support workers, nursing associates, registered nurses and all members of the profession.
“This is about more than the profession’s response to Covid-19 – it is about increasing the attractiveness of the profession, to fill tens of thousands of unfilled nursing jobs and reach safe staffing levels. It is time to pay nursing staff fairly.”
Graham Revie, chairman of the RCN’s trade union committee, said: “Our pay demand reflects the knowledge, skills and responsibilities of the complex job we do.
“RCN members have told us they expect things to change, and we will fight for that change. The RCN is its members and together we can achieve fair pay for nursing.
“Funding our health and care system is a political choice. Nursing is the largest health and care workforce in the UK.
“It has been underfunded, understaffed and undervalued. The Government should make the right choice now.”
Nicky Hughes, associate director of nursing (employment relations) RCN Wales, added: “RCN Wales echoes all that chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, Donna Kinnair, has said. We expect the Welsh Government to make the right decision and support fair pay for nurses in Wales.
“Nurses in Wales deserve recognition for their unwavering dedication to the nursing profession and we hope the Welsh Government delivers on our campaign requests.”
The RCN said it will continue to work with other health unions to call on the UK governments to provide nursing and healthcare staff with an early and substantive pay rise.
In response, a Welsh Government spokesman said: “The Health Minister values the contribution of all our dedicated health and social care workforce in Wales and recognises the challenges they face, particularly during the pandemic.
“In 2018 a three-year pay agreement was implemented for all Agenda for Change NHS staff, including nurses, which includes a higher starting pay and faster progression through pay points.
“While we are not directly responsible for social care staff pay, they have provided exceptional care during the pandemic and in recognition of that contribution we announced a special one-off payment of £500 for all care home and domiciliary care workers.”