he is new Health Secretary is urged to end the delay in announcing a pay rise for nurses, amid research suggesting public support for union action on the issue has surged.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said nurses should receive a “substantial” pay raise immediately, after a three-month waiting period on a Government decision.
The RCN said a survey of nearly 1,500 people in England showed that public support for union action by nurses has risen sharply.
In May, 42% of respondents said they were “very” or “quite” likely to support nurses who take union action over their pay.
That figure has now risen to nearly half amid the prospect of a pay rise below inflation, including nursing, where ministers have proposed a pay rate of 2% to 3%, the RCN said.
In his formal proof to the Pay Review Body (PRB), the RCN called for a 5% wage increase above the level of RPI inflation, which is currently over 11%.
Pat Cullen, general secretary of RCN, said: “Lack of staff is endangering patient care. The pressure on the nursing staff is relentless and now rising inflation means staff are struggling to pay the bills and go to the food banks.
“They are leaving the profession en masse – the incredible financial difficulties they face prove the last straw. After a decade of government pay cuts, the nursing profession can no longer afford to wait.
“Nursing is a highly skilled profession and should be recognized as such – investing in the profession must start with a fair reward.
“No nurse ever wants to take union action, but there is nothing off the table for our members. Nurses may feel they have no other choice to protect patient safety.”
Unison’s head of health Sara Gorton said: “The government’s leadership vacuum does not excuse further delays in properly paying the NHS. The government has been months behind on its own timetable.
“Rising costs are having a terrible effect on staff and helping them should be at the top of the priority list for the new Secretary of State, not an afterthought.
“Payment is crucial to ensure the NHS is well staffed and able to provide the care patients need. Making a proper wage award will show that ministers are serious about protecting the health service and the millions who rely on it.
“It’s high time the government released the PRB reports to let nurses, health assistants, porters, paramedics, cleaners and all other vital NHS staff know if the inflation-causing pay raise they deserve will be delivered.”