Danielle Tiplady started a petition to get the government to review its decision to cap all public sector workers’ pay at 1% until 2020; citing a staffing crisis and its “harsh” impact on existing staff.
Some of the concerns:
- A 14% drop in earnings, in real terms, since 2010 for NHS healthcare assistants, Nurses and midwives
- 10,000 nursing job vacancies, just in London
- Many being forced out of the capital due to extortionate rent prices
- ‘Agenda for Change’ pay structure resulting in some NHS staff needing the support of food banks
The petition was signed by nearly 60.000 people and prompted a response from the Department of Health. “The government is committed to ensuring trusts can afford to employ the staff the NHS needs.” It pointed out that, since 2010, nurses’ wages had increased by 0.8%, that there are 3,500 more midwives and nurses compared than in 2010 and cited various plans to train more nurses. It also said that the 1% pay cap has been enforced to protect 200,000 public sector jobs.
Royal College of Nursing
The Royal College of Nurses (RCN)responded with the opinion that this was a “completely inadequate response” that …”ignores the financial hardship facing thousands of nursing staff this winter; a consequence of the 1% cap on their pay. Let’s be clear, pay restraint is a political decision and it is not the responsibility of hardworking nursing staff to pay for financial failings in the NHS.”
Some good news
The thought of our nurses, midwives and healthcare assistant needing the support of food banks is shocking. While we cannot remove your financial burdens, we may be able to ease them slightly by making sure that you are receiving your full work expenses tax reliefs.
Uniform cleaning, shoes and tights/socks, RCN membership fees, using your own car – all of these are your legitimate tax allowances. Just because you work for the NHS, doesn’t mean that you will just get whatever tax relief you are owed. Everyone has to make an official application.
Tony Shanks