NHS workers call on government to show its appreciation for them

Health staff across the UK – including nurses, paramedics, cleaners, domestics and porters – are beginning two days of campaigning today (Thursday) urging the government to give an early, significant pay rise of at least £2,000 to every worker in the NHS.

Staff in UNISON branches based in NHS hospitals, ambulance stations and clinics will be using social media and taking part in socially distanced events to press home the message that health workers deserve much more than applause for their efforts during the pandemic.

Health workers know the public backs an early NHS pay rise, but now want to see the government show its appreciation for staff by bringing forward the pay rise due in April.

UNISON’s pay claim – delivered to Downing Street last month – would see every NHS employee receive an increase of at least £2,000 by the end of the year.

This early wage increase – equivalent to around £1 an hour extra for all staff – could give ailing local economies a much-needed boost as workers spend the extra money in their pockets on the high street, says UNISON.

With the arrival of autumn, and the increasing rates of infection, UNISON believes now is the perfect time for the government to show the high regard in which ministers say they hold NHS staff.

UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said: “Infection rates are rising in care homes and out in the wider community, and hospital admissions are on the up.

“The pressure on staff is beginning to build again, as the NHS tries to open services shut earlier in the year and deal with the backlog of cancelled appointments and operations.

“That’s why now would be the perfect time for the Prime Minister and Chancellor to show they can do more than clap for NHS staff, and demonstrate their appreciation in a much more practical way.

“Boris Johnson’s pie in the sky plans for any time, any place, anywhere ‘moonshot’ testing would cost a mindboggling £100bn. An early pay rise for NHS staff would be a tiny fraction of that and would make a huge difference to individuals and the services they help provide.

“Investing in the NHS and its incredible workforce is a must for the government. It would help the health service tackle the mounting staff shortages that were already causing huge problems even before the virus hit.

“An early pay rise would also be the country’s best way of saying a heartfelt thank you to every single member of the NHS team.”

Notes to editors:
– According to UNISON/Savanta ComRes polling published in July, a majority of the public (69%) think all NHS staff should get an early pay rise. Two thirds (66%) of the public believe a wage increase for employees should be significant in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. An overwhelming majority (85%) believe pay should increase.
– UNISON estimates that a £2,000 pay rise for all NHS staff would cost around £2.8bn in England (plus additional spending in the devolved administrations).
– Agenda for Change staff in the NHS are currently covered by a three-year pay and reform deal, due to end on 31 March 2021.
– The UNISON claim is for an increase of at least £2,000 to every point on the NHS salary scale. This would take minimum earnings up from around £18,000 to £20,005 (£20,478 in Scotland) and take the lowest rate in the NHS above the real living wage. The £2,000 would be worth 8% for a newly qualified band 5 worker (for example, a nurse, paramedic or IT manager) and would take their annual salary to £26,907 (£27,100 in Scotland).
– Karen Kearney is a bereavement officer at Liverpool Heart & Chest NHS Foundation Trust, giving advice to doctors and families when a patient dies. During the pandemic, her trust was taking overspill Covid-19 cases from other hospitals, as well as treating cardiac patients, meaning she was usually working seven days a week with days off only when cover was available. Karen said: “Visitors weren’t allowed so patients had to come into hospital alone. Often the last time people saw their loved ones was when they came in poorly. It was very difficult and emotional work. The government briefings were all about ‘we love the NHS’. And not so long ago, people were cheering for us. But now there’s this sense we’ve been forgotten about now we’ve done our ‘duty’. A pay rise is long overdue and is needed now.”
– Daniella Pritchard is a nurse at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow. She normally works in the day surgery team helping patients through elective procedures. During the pandemic she’s been redeployed to the intensive care unit, although she had to take five weeks off when she contracted Covid-19. She said: “Nurses don’t do the job because of the money, we do it because we’re passionate about looking after patients. But many struggle on the pay. If there’s a chance to get a rise, people deserve it — not just because of the pandemic, because of the hard work they do all year round.”
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article NHS workers call on government to show its appreciation for them first appeared on the UNISON National site.

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