A lack of nurses will cripple NHS
LOW pay is not the only reason for the shortage of nurses in the NHS. The recent replacing of bursaries with student loans is not a great incentive to attract new entrants to the profession.
Student nurses spend more than 50% of their three-year, full-time courses on clinical placements, including nights, weekends and evenings – all without payment. This makes it almost impossible for them to get other income from part-time work.
Furthermore, for many years the Government has capped the amount of money for nurse training – and for doctors too – to well below what’s needed. This has resulted in hundreds of applicants for training courses being turned away.
As a retired paediatric nurse, I wonder whether I would consider nurse training today.
Alan Griffith, Leeds
# The health service is suffering its worst-ever shortage of nurses, with a record 40,000 unfilled vacancies this year (Mirror, Sept 6). The RCN says the Government’s 1% pay cap and relentless pressure is forcing them to leave the profession in droves. Surely, no one can be in any doubt that the Tories are trying to bring the NHS to its knees so they can cream off the profitable parts to their cronies in private healthcare. They will then bring in a US-style insurance system. It’s our NHS and if we don’t speak out it will be too late. Let’s put pressure on May, Hunt and co to give our wonderful and highly trained nurses the pay they deserve.
Dave Mellor, Warrington, Cheshire
# So, Britain is experiencing its worst-ever nursing shortage. I wonder if the reason for this is that they have been overworked and underpaid for the last seven years under the Tories, causing an exodus and a shortage of new recruits.
Let’s face it, the Tories are more interested in keeping their fatcat mates happy than the health and welfare of the British people. It’s time we rallied behind these angels – enough is enough!
Roger Grant Thurnscoe, South Yorks
# It has always been Tory policy to dismantle the NHS. The 1% wage cap on our loyal nurses and medical staff is a cruel ploy to undermine the morale of the NHS workforce and it has had a horrendous effect on new recruitment. Now Scotland has decided to lift the cap, I wonder if this self-serving Government will resort to new methods to destroy the people’s health service to appease their wealthy paymasters.
Neil Atherton St Helens, Merseyside
# The Tories are bringing the NHS to the point of collapse by reducing and demoralising the workforce. Funds are being kept from the health service so money can be spent on privatising it. The only reason for Mrs May to increase the wages of some public sector workers is to buy the Tories more time to bring in their draconian policies.
James O’Donnell Exeter, Devon
# We are witnessing the slow death of the NHS at the hands of the Tories, overseen by Jeremy Hunt. Let’s hope they get voted out before it’s too late.