Nursing union slams prime minister’s ‘misleading and inaccurate’ comments on nursing pay

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has written to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak rebuking his recent comment on pay for nursing staff.

Appearing on The Sun’s ‘Never Mind the Ballots’ on Talk TV the PM, speaking about pay and resolving industrial action, said that “the good news is we’ve resolved it with everyone apart from the junior doctors, starting with the nurses.”

In response to his comments, Professor Pat Cullen, General Secretary and Chief Executive of the RCN, the UK’s largest nursing union, has written to the prime minister urging him to ‘desist from making misleading and inaccurate public statements about nursing pay’ and reminding him that ‘we remain in a formal trade dispute over pay.’

In the letter, Professor Pat Cullen tells the prime minister that ‘our profession will be greatly angered hearing your comments which sought to take credit for a pay offer that was not accepted.’

The later said: “Last night on the Sun’s ‘Never Mind the Ballots’ show, you stated that you have “resolved” the dispute with everyone apart from the junior doctors, “starting with the nurses.” This is untrue. I am writing to ask that you desist from making misleading and inaccurate public statements about nursing pay.

Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members rejected the government’s pay offer last year, an offer that was the lowest in the public sector. We remain in a formal trade dispute over pay. Our profession will be greatly angered hearing your comments which sought to take credit for a pay offer that was not accepted. 

The government is already late with its pay award for this year, having delayed initiating the Pay Review Body (PRB) process. We are participating formally and in good faith this year and our submission calls for an urgent substantial, above-inflation pay rise for 2024-25. Additionally, we are calling for an immediate national nursing recruitment and retention premia worth several thousand pounds to each member of nursing staff.”

It added: “Nursing staff across England are struggling. Six in ten have resorted to credit cards or dipped into savings to make ends meet over the past year; four in ten reported being in a state of mental distress due to money worries; and more than two thirds admit to rationing gas and electricity. 

Most worryingly for the future of NHS services, over half of nursing staff say they are considering quitting in the next five years. This is a grave situation which requires a serious political resolution.

Across England’s NHS, there are tens of thousands of empty nursing posts whilst millions wait in pain for treatment. Recent polling shows a clear majority of the public want an above inflation pay rise for nursing staff, spanning political divides.”

It concluded: “Rather than mislead the public further, we urge you to deliver on their priorities instead.

A nurse working in a hospital in the North West recently told the RCN: “I have nothing left at the end of the month and do extra shifts just to eat. I work with people who are all in debt and coming to work just to turn their gas on.”

This is the daily reality for nursing staff, a situation which can only be improved with a substantial and above inflation pay rise delivered with urgency. I implore you to act now and safeguard the health of our nation.”