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Last year, NHS nursing staff received the lowest pay deal in the public sector. Now, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is calling for a “seismic shift” to ensure nurses are fairly remunerated for their work.
The current pay scale for NHS nursing staff is nearly 20 years old and Pat Cullen, Chief Executive of the RCN, says it no longer reflects the skills and expertise of nursing today.
In 2021, an analysis of nursing pay across OECD countries revealed that nurses were paid 20% above the average wage of all employees. However, in the United Kingdom nurses make less than the average worker.
“Record unfilled nurse jobs in recent years are a sign of structural problems as well as underinvestment by the government. As the largest profession in health and care, nursing staff deserve a fresh place in the NHS and not more years of poor pay rises and no wider reform,” said Ms Cullen.
Nurses can finish their career on the same salary they started on
The RCN has now launched a listening exercise with members to inform its response to a government consultation on a new pay scale for nursing staff.
Ms Cullen says Agenda for Change has “lost sight” of the value of nurses. “Three quarters of our members are on the two lowest pay bands possible for registered professionals. We are weighted to the bottom of the pay and grading structure without a clear route through,” she said.
“It should never be the case that to get on in your nursing career, you are forced to move away from delivering clinical care.
“It should never be the case that you finish your nursing career on the same salary band as you started. You should never amass decades of experience but see no recognition of it in your salary,” she added.
No automatic pay progression for nurses
The RCN is now calling for the career pathway for nursing to be “smashed wide open” so that nurses can automatically progress through pay bands.
The most common grade for NHS nurses and health visitors is Band 5, which accounts for about 43% of the nurse and health visitor workforce in the NHS in England.
Ms Cullen says the current system only rewards people the further away they get from patient care, which is “poor for patients” and works against career progression for a nurse.
Indeed, newly qualified paramedics can progress from Band 5 to Band 6 after two years in the job. For nurses, there is no automatic pay progression unless they are promoted. Cullen says this is “unfair and unsustainable.”
“Our workforce is 90 per cent female and a new structure can remove the gender disadvantages at present and dispel completely the idea that nursing is less skilled, women’s work and worthy of low pay and poor treatment,” Ms Cullen said.
Listening exercise will inform a response pay consultation
The RCN’s listening exercise is designed to inform a response to the UK government’s consultation on a new pay spine for nursing.
“In 2024, nursing roles are held in high regard by patients and service users, but politicians are yet to catch up.
“Nursing needs a seismic shift and a new place in healthcare,” Ms Cullen said.