Nurses have rejected Labour’s 5.5% pay rise offer as they “do not feel valued” which is another blow for the Prime Minister.
Two thirds of members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in England rejected Labour’s pay rise which saw a record number of some 145,000 who turned out to vote.
The RCN general secretary Professor Nicola Ranger said in a letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, “We are witnessing a fundamental shift in the determination of nursing staff to stand up for themselves, their patients and the NHS they believe in.
Many will support the new Government’s health and care agenda as set out in recent weeks and fully recognise the diagnosis of a failing NHS.
“Working closely with all other professionals, nursing staff are the lifeblood of the service. The Government will find our continued support for the reforms key to their success.”
Ranger added, “To raise standards and reform the NHS, you need safe numbers of nursing staff and they need to feel valued.
“Nursing staff were asked to consider if, after more than a decade of neglect, they thought the pay award was a fair start. This outcome shows their expectations of government are far higher.
“Our members do not yet feel valued and they are looking for urgent action, not rhetorical commitments.
“Their concerns relate to understaffed shifts, poor patient care and nursing careers trapped at the lowest pay grades – they need to see that the Government’s reform agenda will transform their profession as a central part of improving care for the public.”
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