Nurses demand 'substantial' pay rise

Nurses are taking on more responsibilites

Nurses have demanded "substantial" pay rises from the government when it decides public sector pay next year.

Unions say pay increases are needed to encourage nurses to continue to work in the NHS, to encourage others to take up jobs and to improve the morale of staff.

They have called for a boost in pay for all nurses, but have signalled out nurses working in the lowest grades and those in senior positions for increased pay.

An independent Pay Review Body will make recommendations on nurses' pay early next year.

Nursing staff are continuing to work harder than ever

Maggie Dunn, Staff Side chairwoman

Those recommendations are passed on to government ministers who decide whether to implement the pay awards.

In their submission to the Review Body, the unions highlighted the low pay of non-registered nurses, who can earn as little as £8,225 per year.

They have also called for senior nurses, who can earn just over £30,000 a year, to be given pay rises in recognition of the extra work they are expected to carry out.

The NHS plan, published in July, has set out proposals to give nurses greater responsibility.

This includes giving them powers to write prescriptions, run hospital wards, discharge patients and manage specialist clinics.

The unions said extra pay should be given in recognition of this work.

Improved

Maggie Dunn, chairwoman of Staff Side - an umbrella group of nursing unions - said it was vital nurses' pay was improved.

"Nursing staff are continuing to work harder than ever and are taking on new and more demanding roles and responsibilities.

"It is vital that the Pay Review Body builds on the pay awards of the last two years to ensure that the NHS continues to recruit and retain experienced nursing staff."

Nurses have received above inflation pay rises in each of the past two years. Unions have said that while these awards were a step in the right direction more needed to be done.

They have highlighted the differences between nurses' starting salaries and the pay of police recruits.

A newly qualified staff nurse starts on a salary of £14,890. However, this is still more than £2,000 lower than the starting salary of a police constable.

Unions have called for the Review Body to bring the pay of new nurses and police officers into line.

They added that huge nurses shortages and the need to recruit nurses from overseas showed that pay had to be boosted.

Ms Dunn said: "The NHS has to increase the number of skilled nursing staff if it is to achieve high quality patient care."