Too little after too long? 1% Pay Hike for NHS Staff

Is this a case of too little after too long?

Accepting recommendations from the NHS Pay Review Body, the government has announced a 1% pay raise for all NHS staff on the Agenda for Change pay bands. Calling their recommendation ‘informed but not constrained’, the PRB seems to be following Chancellor George Osborne’s intention of restricting pay rises for all public sector workers in England to a maximum of 1% for the next four years. The PRB accepts that all NHS providers are under financial pressure and that some form of pay restraints is thus inevitable.

The Unions, however, find the decision disappointing as do most of the health workers. After years of pay cuts, this increment is just too little. As it is, there has been growing concern among nurses about their future in this profession, and the current decision does not seem to bring any reason to think otherwise. The NHS has seen an exodus of its staff, leaving for better opportunities in the private sector or abroad, and this pay raise is hardly going to change that scenario. Read more at Nursing Times

The way things are – it will be difficult to deliver quality healthcare 24x7 to the NHS patients. Unless there is dedicated and loyal healthcare staff delivering healthcare, the NHS will fail in its endeavour to provide to quality care to patients in the country.

Do you agree with the PRB recommendations or do you feel that the healthcare workers have been short changed – once again?.

Comment below and let us know your thoughts!