Thousands of nurses across the UK have begun their strike as they protest about their pay and conditions. The industrial action is the biggest to be taken by nurses in the history of the NHS, involving around a quarter of hospitals and community teams in England, all but one health board in Wales, and all trusts in Northern Ireland.
Staff will continue to provide life-saving and urgent care but routine services have been disrupted. There are claims that almost 70,000 appointments and surgeries in England will be lost as a result of the walkout.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is asking for a pay rise that is 5% above the RPI inflation rate, which currently sits at around 14%. No offers as of yet have come close and the Government is calling the request "unaffordable".
Read more: Nurses' strike - Newcastle Hospital's advice for RVI or Freeman hospital patients
In the past, NHS staff in England and Wales have already been given an average increase of 4.75%, with the lowest paid guaranteed a rise of at least £1,400. In Northern Ireland, nurses will receive the same increase, which will be backdated.
However, the RCN says that this year's below-inflation pay award isn't good enough as nurses have faced years of salary squeezes. It says that average pay for nurses fell by 6% between 2011 and 2021 once the rising rate of inflation is taken into account.
The RCN says that below-inflation increases are "compromising care" by making it hard to attract and keep nurses in the profession. There were 46,828 nurse vacancies in the English NHS as of June 2022, according to NHS digital.
But with this ongoing debate, what do nurses actually get paid? The NHS pay system, known as the agenda for change, is broken into bands with each band covering all staff with the exception of doctors, dentists and very senior managers.
Nurses typically enter at the bottom of band 5 with a starting salary of £27,055. They will then be awarded pay increases as they progress through their career with increases to the next pay point every two or three years until they reach the top of their pay band.
A nurse with four years' experience would be expected to get close to £33,000 - the top end of pay band five. Specialist nurses, such as those with extra qualifications to treat cancer and diabetes patients, can get up to £47,000.
The most senior nurse consultants can earn up to nearly £55,000. There is a small number of nurses in senior or chief posts earning around £100,000.
What are the annual pay rates for nurses in the North East?
| Band | Starting salary | Years until eligible for pay progression | Intermediate step point | Years until pay progression | Top step point |
| Band 1 | £20,270 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Band 2 | £20,270 | 2 | N/A | N/A | £21,318 |
| Band 3 | £21,730 | 2 | N/A | N/A | £23,177 |
| Band 4 | £23,949 | 3 | N/A | N/A | £26,282 |
| Band 5 | £27,055 | 2 | £29,180 | 2 | £32,934 |
| Band 6 | £33,706 | 2 | £35,572 | 3 | £40,588 |
| Band 7 | £41,659 | 2 |
£43,806 | 3 | £47,672 |
| Band 8a | £48,526 | 5 | N/A | N/A | £54,619 |
| Band 8b | £56,164 | 5 | N/A | N/A |
£65,262 |
| Band 8c | £67,064 | 5 | N/A |
N/A |
£77,274 |
| Band 8d | £79,592 | 5 | N/A |
N/A |
£91,787 |
| Band 9 | £95,135 | 5 | N/A |
N/A |
£109,475 |
What are the hourly pay rates for nurses in the North East?
| Band | Starting salary | Years until eligible for pay progression | Intermediate step point | Years until pay progression | Top step point |
| Band 1 | £10.57 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Band 2 | £10.37 | 2 | N/A | N/A | £10.90 |
| Band 3 | £11.11 | 2 | N/A | N/A | £11.85 |
| Band 4 | £12.25 | 3 | N/A | N/A | £13.44 |
| Band 5 | £13.84 | 2 | £14.92 | 2 | £16.84 |
| Band 6 | £17.24 | 2 | £18.19 | 3 | £20.76 |
| Band 7 | £21.31 | 2 |
£22.40 | 3 | £24.38 |
| Band 8a | £24.82 | 5 | N/A | N/A | £27.93 |
| Band 8b | £28.72 | 5 | N/A | N/A |
£33.38 |
| Band 8c | £24.30 | 5 | N/A |
N/A |
£39.52 |
| Band 8d | £40.70 | 5 | N/A |
N/A |
£46.94 |
| Band 9 | £48.65 | 5 | N/A |
N/A |
£55.99 |
Read next:
