Spending review offers chance to recognise nurses, says union

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has used the announcement by government of a spending review to call for a meaningful pay rise for nursing staff to recognise the value of the profession and address the its staffing shortfall.

The one-year Treasury review will be tasked with prioritising the response to the coronavirus pandemic and supporting jobs.

RCN chief executive and general secretary Dame Donna Kinnair explained: “The chancellor has started the ball rolling today and confirmed the government’s intention to address long-term funding challenges for the NHS next month.

“These services are battling a pandemic with a shortage of 50,000 nurses across the UK. Nursing staff feel undervalued and driven out by poor pay levels.

“Next month, the government can reset the dial and show it values them. The chancellor can send the strongest signal that investment for the NHS means an early and significant pay rise for its workforce.”

In September the RCN published a submission to the government’s Comprehensive Spending Review which laid out the union’s case for a 12.5% pay rise for NHS nursing staff.

Kinnair added: “A 12.5% pay rise will help address the staffing crisis in the profession that affects standards of patient care. This must be fully funded – cash-strapped health services cannot offer a pay rise from within existing budgets."

https://www.rcn.org.uk/news-and-events/news/uk-government-spending-review-must-include-investment-in-nursing-staff-says-rcn-211020

https://www.rcn.org.uk/professional-development/publications/rcn-submission-hm-treasury-comprehensive-spending-review-pub-009409

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/spending-review-to-conclude-late-november