"The tide is turning" and one NHS nurse in our region thinks colleagues could well resort to industrial action this summer in protest at below-inflation pay rise offers to health service staff.
Earlier this week the Government said it had accepted recommendations from the independent NHS pay review bodies which will see some of the NHS ' lowest earners - such as porters and cleaners get a 9.3% pay rise, while the average basic bay for nurses will rise around £1,400. Unions reacted angrily to the news, saying that this amounted to a real terms pay cut.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) became the first union to announce a ballot over industrial action, while leaders from UNISON called the pay offer a "big mistake". Recommendations for doctors' and dentists' pay were also met with dismay. Many will get a 4.5% pay rise, but this does not include junior doctors. The NHS Confederation industry body also warned that because the Department of Health and Social Care had only provided for a 3% rise in its funding, £1,8bn would need to be found from within existing budgets.
Speaking about the situation for nurses, UNISON member Sophie - who works in the North East - told ChronicleLive there was "lots of anger" among her colleagues. She said: "There's a lot of anger out there. This is coming as we're all struggling already. People are struggling with their gas and electric. I've a smart meter and I have never seen anything like it with prices. I think people are really upset. After everything we have been through in the NHS, and this is really just another pay cut.
"When I hear the Tories talk about all the money they're putting into the NHS I'm asking and would like to know where that's going! The NHS has recruitment and retention issues. I'm aware of people looking for jobs outside of this. We know there are other issues with things like mileage rates. This is especially an issue for community staff. In my trust they can do a couple of hundred miles a week. It's just another outlay.
"It's hard work in the NHS. I don't think people realise how pushed we are. After everything we've seen, people are burnt out, tired and fed up. To be honest, and I'm not just talking the lowest paid staff, but I've been aware of NHS staff using food banks for a couple of years."
Sophie said she felt the chances of industrial action had risen considerably. She said: "We're aware of strike action being talked about. From what I hear from colleagues I think the tide is turning and I think NHS staff are getting to that point."
A YouGov poll for the RCN has found a majority of the public - 60% - would support nurses going on strike, while 71% said they would "sympathise" if members of the profession chose to walk out. The RCN's general secretary and chief exec Pat Cullen said: "Would-be prime ministers need to look at this and plan for an urgent change of course.
"We will be balloting our members working for the NHS in England over pay and public support is already growing. They know that nursing staff are patients’ greatest advocates, and this support runs both ways. They are joining us in saying enough is enough."
She said the Government's attitude was pushing nurses out of the NHS - and that the real-terms pay cut was a national disgrace. Meanwhile UNISON's general secretary Christina McAnea echoed this, saying the Government had made a "short-sighted decision" that risked harming the NHS "beyond repair".
Ms McAnea added: “Ministers might have shifted their pay position a little, but nowhere near enough. This award is barely half the lowest level of inflation. The price surge shows no sign of easing and hikes to energy bills will wipe out the rise for almost everyone." She said that though a pay rise wouldn't cure the NHS's workforce crisis, it would show the desire to do so.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay responded by emphasising that the Government "hugely values and appreciates the contribution of NHS staff". He said: "“We want a fair deal for staff. Very high inflation-driven settlements would have a worse impact on pay packets in the long run than proportionate and balanced increases now, and it is welcome that the pay review bodies agree with this approach."
The Department for Health and Social Care has disputed what it calls "misleading claims" from the NHS Confederation. A spokesperson said the additional cost was £1.4bn and that part of this would come from NHS England's budget, "but the rest will be reprioritised through existing departmental funding while minimising the impact to key NHS services".
READ NEXT:
