NHS nurses are among some of the worst paid in Europe, new analysis shows.
The Royal College of Nursing has written to Health Secretary Steve Barclay citing this week’s international report by the OECD as “categorical evidence that the United Kingdom values nurses less than others” as they prepare for strike action next Thursday.
The OECD’s Health at a Glance: Europe 2022 report compared nurses pay across countries based on a common currency and adjusted for the cost-of-living there.
When converted into Sterling NHS nurses pay was £29,710.
Using the same formula to factor in the cost of living called purchasing power parity (PPP) the OECD put nurses pay in Luxembourg at £57,530.
Pay for nurses in Belgium was £53,650, in the Netherlands it was £43,580, in Iceland it was £40,650, in Denmark it was £40,300 and in Germany it was £37,980.
In the letter seen by the Mirror, RCN General Secretary Pat Cullen said: “This clearly shows that UK nurses fare worse than most other European countries not only in comparison to national average earnings, but in relation to their incomes failing to keep up with the day-to-day cost of living.
“As Secretary of State I must ask you how you will respond to the categorical evidence that the United Kingdom values nurses less than others. It is deeply regrettable that we, as the UK, find ourselves as the sick man of Europe once again.
“With the facts laid out bare by the OECD, you may now feel clearer on why my members have voted so decisively for strike and why the remedial action on the part of governments must be as significant as it is urgent.
“As I have made clear on multiple occasions, you have the option to avert strike action by opening formal negotiations about the current pay award.”
The formula in the OECD report shows the UK is effectively paying nurses below the average nurse salary of the original 20 EU countries, which was £30,400.
Overall the UK came 12th out of 25 European countries included in the analysis - five of which are outside the EU - with the top countries paying almost double.
Separate analysis shows the UK pay for nurses is roughly in line with the average wage of full-time employees in all sectors in the country.
The EU 20 average saw nurses paid 20% more than the average worker for the job they do.
Belgium valued its nurses the highest, paying them 60% more than the average worker, while in Spain they are paid 50% more.
The report also states that in the UK the real terms pay of nurses fell between 2010 and 2020.
This was compared to Spain where real terms pay was 7% higher while it concluded nurse pay in Belgium and the Netherlands was between 7% and 10% higher.
After a decade of real terms pay cuts the RCN is calling for an NHS pay award 5% above inflation, which by its preferred RPI measure stands at 14.2%.
The Government has given a pay increase of around 4% on average.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: “The economic circumstances mean unions’ demands are not affordable.
“Each additional 1% pay rise for all staff would cost around £700 million a year.
“We’ve prioritised the NHS with record funding and accepted the independent pay review body’s recommendations to give over one million NHS workers a pay rise of at least £1,400 this year, with those on the lowest salaries receiving an increase of up to 9.3%.”
The letter in full
RCN LetterPat Cullen, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, sent the following letter on Monday to Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay.
“Ten days before my members are forced to take industrial action our case has been demonstrated on the world stage with immense strength.
“This report from the OECD, Health at a Glance, confirms that in many countries across Europe the pay of nurses has increased in real terms since 2010, whilst falling in real terms in the UK.
“In the most recent year of data available to the OECD, nursing pay as compared with UK average earnings falls below the level seen in most European countries.
“The report also confirms officially lower wages in terms of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), in the UK, than the average EU20 nation.
“This clearly shows that UK nurses fare worse than most other European countries not only in comparison to national average earnings, but in relation to their incomes failing to keep up with the day-to-day cost of living.
“As Secretary of State for Health and Social Care I must ask you how you will respond to the categorical evidence that the United Kingdom values nurses less than others.
“It is deeply regrettable that we, as the UK, find ourselves as the sick man of Europe once again.
“With the facts laid out bare by the OECD, you may now feel clearer on why my members across the four countries have voted so decisively for strike and why the remedial action on the part of governments must be as significant as it is urgent.
“As I have made clear on multiple occasions, you have the option to avert strike action by opening formal negotiations about the current pay award.”
