Nurses
are demanding pay rises funded by the billions of pounds the Government has
earmarked for NHS modernisation.
The
Royal College of Nursing (RCN) hinted at strike action if some of the Budget
cash was not used to increase pay.
Beverly
Malone, general secretary of the RCN, said she wanted to see a bumper
investment in nursing and that money was needed most.
Malone
said last year’s pay increase was inadequate, as the 3.9 per cent hike only
improved the typical nurse’s salary by around £9 per week. She said retention
rather than recruitment was the key to NHS success, but money was essential to
achieving improvements in both.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Her
calls come on top of negotiations for flexible working and contracts. The money
from the Budget will raise NHS spending by £40bn in the next six years and it
is anticipated that spending for this year will be £5bn up on last year.
