We Support Fair Pay for NHS Staff
It’s hard to ignore the growing media noise surrounding the cost of living and the looming energy crisis. Inflation is set to rise above 9%, whilst utility bills have already doubled (The Royal College of Nursing, 2022). Meanwhile, NHS nurses are facing critical staff shortages against the backdrop of another imminent and challenging winter and the unrelenting consequences of the pandemic.
Unsurprisingly, many healthcare workers are struggling to navigate these trying circumstances and many nurses share a number of the same alarming opinions; staffing levels are currently unsafe, patients are receiving suboptimal care, and many nurses struggling with these pressures are consequently leaving the profession. In response to this, and the government’s initial pay rise proposal of just 2-3%, The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has launched The Fair Pay for Nursing campaign.
This campaign intends to:
Highlight that nursing salaries have consistently fallen below the rate of inflation
Raise awareness surrounding the value of nurses, their skills, and the vital role they play in our NHS
Guarantee future nurses are recruited and retained
Secure a pay rise of at least 5% above inflation (RCN, 2022)
In order to secure the above intentions, The Royal College of Nurses has proposed industrial strike action and is calling its members to vote on whether this should go ahead.
What Might Industrial Strike Action Look Like and How will Patients be Safeguarded Against It?
Unlike other industrial action, The RCN strikes have been carefully planned in advance with employers to ensure nurses are able to take action, without compromising patient safety. In brief, certain departments will be excluded from strike action, such as the emergency department and intensive care units. In other departments, staffing on proposed strike days will be covered by Sunday, Christmas day, or night duty models. The RCN is committed to ensuring that strike activity will not amount to a breach of The Nursing and Midwifery Council Code. The below will continue to apply during industrial action and will allow employers to safely navigate these circumstances.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council Code states (2022):
Act in the best interests of people at all times (section 4)
Preserve safety (section 13)
Always offer help if an emergency arises in your practice setting or anywhere else (section 15)
Act without delay if you believe that there is a risk to patient safety or public protection (section 16)
Be aware of, and reduce as far as possible, any potential for harm associated with your practice (section 19)
Uphold the reputation of your profession at all times (section 20)
How Can Students Take Action?
All Registered Nurse RCN members in England will be asked via ballot whether to take strike action following the government’s initial pay rise proposal (2-3%). Any student who does any bank work and/or is directly employed by the NHS can vote on the ballot, so long as they are also a member of the RCN. If you are a student and would like to vote, be sure to log on to your MyRCN page and register your NHS employer. If you are a student who is not currently directly employed by the NHS, you can still support the campaign in a number of ways. For example, you could initiate conversations about nurse pay with family, friends and colleagues to help gain public support. You can work with your regional RCN office to help shape the narrative of nursing and correct any misinformation. You might also like to use social media platforms to raise awareness via a wider audience - be sure to use the hashtag #fairpayfornursing.
In Summary…
There is still time to make a difference. Due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II, The RCN has amended the ballot dates. Voting now opens on the 6th of October and closes on the 2nd of November. For more information, the RCN has compiled this useful webpage of FAQs: https://www.rcn.org.uk/Get-Involved/Campaign-with-us/Fair-Pay-for-Nursing/Latest-updates/Industrial-strike-action-ballot-FAQs. If enough members vote in favour of industrial action, it will be the first time in RCN history that nurses go on strike.
At Future Frontline, we support fair pay for NHS staff. We urge you (if eligible) to make your voice heard and take this opportunity to support yourself, your colleagues and your NHS!
References
The Nursing and Midwifery Council, (2022). ‘Read the Code Online’. [online] Available at: https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/code/read-the-code-online/ [Accessed 29 September 2022].
The Royal College of Nursing, (2022). ‘Industrial Action Handbook’. [online] Available at: https://www.rcn.org.uk/employment-and-pay/Industrial-Action-Handbook [Accessed 29 September 2022].