Welcome to The Patient Connection’s first blog for nurses which concentrates on the UK government’s pay for nurse and other healthcare professionals.

While it primarily deals with the pay situation in the England and Wales we are keen to hear all opinions.

On May 1st the Royal College of Nursing issued a press release which stated the following:-
“Nurses are to receive a staged pay award in 2007/08 - 1.5 per cent in April followed by 1.0 per cent in November - according to an announcement made by the Government today. Because the award is staged, in real terms the award is only worth 1.9 per cent.
Responding to the announcement, Dr Peter Carter, the RCN General Secretary, said:
"Having worked closely with the government to modernise the NHS, bring down waiting times and improve patient care, this is the thanks hard-working nurses get – a cut in pay.
"This news will leave nurses feeling angry, frustrated and let down. The RCN is committed to working with the government on the difficult agenda that lies ahead but they should also understand that today's announcement makes this harder.
"It is regrettable that the government plans to impose this award in stages. This is unfair and it is undeserved," he added.
The current rate of inflation is 4.2 per cent.

Dr Peter Carter continues:
"Nurses are only too aware of the precarious state of NHS finances and the effect it is having on patient care. This was reinforced today by the results of a survey of NHS chief executives, 75 per cent of whom stated that patient care will 'suffer as a result of short-term decisions to cut deficits."


The aim of this blog is to find out more about nurses reactions to the pay deal. In particular we would like your views ion the following questions.

• Do you feel morale is affected across all nursing specialties because vacancies have been frozen, training cuts, increased workloads?
• How do you feel about the proposed pay rate?
• What impact will this have on your desire to stay in the profession?
• What should bodies like the RCN do to further the interests of nurses?
• Should there be more district nurses who could ensure more patients could be looked after in the home as opposed to hospitals?

Please bear in mind that your comment can be anonymous. All you need to do is select a nickname and just type in your opinions.
Thanks for your contributions now and in the future

Belinda

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Louise | 12/04/2007 14:52:00

One really feels used and undervalued. I hope that things will change as I love what I do but my banker doesnt and my children are eating pasta again for the 3rd month running - this is a great advertisement for healthy eating!

julie | 12/04/2007 16:59:00

i have been nursing for 30 years and nothing changes.Underpaid and understaffed but until nurses take drastic action then I'm afraid we will still be used and abused.

ANTONY CUNNINGHAM-SMITH | 12/04/2007 17:01:00

I FEEL TOTALLY UNDERVALUED AND DE-MORALISED. I FACE DAILY STRESS, ABUSE AND EVEN VOILENCE AS A NURSE ON A BUSY VASCULAR WARD. YET MY PAY SEEMS TO FALL FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHIND OTHER PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS. FOR INSTANCE I HAVE WORKED OVER TEN YEARS AS A STAFF NURSE AND MY SISTERS IN LAWS FIRST JOB AS A TEACHER PAID MORE THAN MINE. MY FRIEND WHILE TRAINING AS A POLICEMAN GOT MORE WHILE TRAINING TO BE A POLICEMAN THAN I DID AS A NURSE WITH 7 YEARS EXPERIENCE AND NOW HE EARNS MORE THAN TEN THOUSAND A YEAR MORE THAN ME. AGEND FOR CHANGE WAS A COMPLETE JOKE AND RESULTED IN HEADLINES WHICH TURNED OUT BE UNTRUE WITH AGAIN STAGED PAY INCREASES. OUR PAY IS RUBBISH FOR THE STRESS INVOLVED NO WONDER THAT NO ONE WANTS TO BE A NURSE, OR WE CAN'T RETAIN STAFF

Dot | 12/04/2007 17:49:00

I think it's a real shame that governments take advantage of health care workers sense of calling into their profession with a real desire to help people. They think they can get away with giving nurses less. However it is demoralising and is a poor way of showing appreciation for what all we nurses do. It seems morally wrong that we should lose out because of gross incompetence of those managing the NHS finances.I think it's about time nurses stood up for themselves and I'm fully supportive of the RCN's comments.

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Suzi Grieve | 12/04/2007 19:10:00

I feel frustrated regarding the new Agenda for Change Pay Deal. I am a senior staff nurse Grade E at the top of my increment. The only way I can progress to a band 6 is if I apply for a Grade 6 job and get the job. The hospital I work in is currently undergoing service re-design and there are wards closing. Eventually I will be moved to a new unit. It doesn't seem fair that I have been in an Acting up position for 2 years then de-moted to my staff nurse postion because there wasn't a ward for me to be in charge of. I was advised by the RCN to put in a Grievance but at the end of the day that would have possibly put a black mark against my name. There should be policies in place so this does not happen.

Florence | 12/04/2007 19:10:00

I have been a nurse for 37 years and have stayed in the profession because I love it, despite the low rates of pay. This latest pay award is pitiful and an insult. GPs were recently offered a massive pay hike, and I resent the fact that nurses have been left behind. How will we attract new blood into the profession with such awful pay and conditions?


Jacqui | 12/04/2007 20:45:00

Nothing has changed in all my time as a nurse. We have always had to take second best even though we have probably worked harder than ever to get it. Politically all the parties always do the same thing and yes, whilst we understand that finances must go towards patient care, let them try to do it without us! They would not stand a chance. I work on the district and believe me the situation is dire. Posts are frozen (mostly in the nursing, health visiting fields, not necessarily administrative) and you never know if your job will exist next week or not. Can things ever be worse for our wonderful profession!

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Sue | 12/04/2007 21:27:00

I think the recent pay rise is a disgrace. I love my job on a busy Critical Care Unit but with the present circumstances l may well have to look to a different profession as l am no longer able to pay my ever increasing mortgage, insurance policies etc and keep my children fed and happy. Do they want to chase us all away? It would be a great shame. Nobody is in this profession for the pay alone. We are in it as we are dedicated and love our work but that can only go so far before we have to make life changing decisions.

A disgruntled and very fed up nurse!! | 12/04/2007 21:33:00

I agree with all the above comments. Here's my take on matters! WHAT IS LIFE LIKE? There are fewer jobs available, the nurses' standard of living is lower and motivation is at an all time low. I used to be proud to say I was an NHS nurse - now I am apologetic! HOW ABOUT CARE LEVELS? The patient care is suffering too - my team and I can't provide "real" nursing care anymore. It's like "spitting in the wind"!! ARE THE NEW GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES WORKING? The PCT I work for is undergoing a Commissioning a Patient led NHS "re-structuring" process at the moment. The even the infamous Agenda for Change has gone out of the window and all "at risk" posts are being either cut or "re-evaluated". This is basically just another cost cutting exercise. WHERE ARE WE HEADING? I believe the government don't want to attract more staff to the NHS - they are forcing the health system to become a carbon copy of the US - A well defined 2-tier system with a huge chasm between the "have and have nots". They are interested in pound signs not people. More private health care means more taxes, less public healthcare means less cost. The common denominator? Money and more of it! WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR ME? Well I'm afraid I've had enough and I'm off! I am planning to set up a social enterprise to provide a service that will meet the "real" needs of a community and above all put people first. MY RECOMMENDATIONS: I would encourage as many other nurses as possible to become entrepreneurs and set up local services to meet the "real" needs of a community. Let's go back to holistic nursing care and make a difference!

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sloworm | 12/04/2007 21:56:00

For years nurses take on every one elses role without the extra reward. We all work unpaid overtime and do ridiculous hours. Our skillls now range over many professions and occupations. It is about time we had the guts to say, no adequate pay then we will work ro rule or strike, but expect as usual there will be plenty of moaning and no acyio

Mandy | 13/04/2007 07:21:00

I agree with all the above, I work as a practice nurse and have seen the GP's salarieis go through the roof! Meanwhile they prevent us from changing to AfC, because they can...It is the nurses who are doing the groundwork of QOF and the doctors reaping the benefits. Our PCT is in dire straits so the educational fund is zero, we are in a no win situation as usual. I would never encourage anyone to become a nurse!

pam sinclair | 13/04/2007 08:37:00

I have been working as a Practice nurse for 17 years , Gp's are very into themselves with their pay. They are very happy that we do the work and they take all the credit. They think a small back hander will see us ok. I really enjoy my work and wouldn't do anything else.

debbie | 13/04/2007 09:12:00

it's ridiculous once agian we are at the bottom of the pile. I work in an a&e and our numbers keep increasing with patients who should of gone to thier gp but can't get an appointment or it's the weekeknd they are closed what do gp's get paid to do cos we see all thier patients. as commented above I have been in nursing for over 20 years and my husband who is a police officer and in his job for 14 is on more than myself where is the balance there. no government whether it is this one or a conservative one give a hoot about us, as long as we don't make a scene nothing will change.

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Brenda | 13/04/2007 10:15:00

My own personal view is that as nursing is still seen as a female dominated profession, hidden sex discrimination allows/condones less pay. If the profession were male dominated, I doubt if the government would get away with such paltry pay offers. I also feel that the odds of any nurses going on strike are minimal, and this is what the government relies on.

Nikki | 13/04/2007 10:40:00

I have recently siginificantly reduced my hours, having worked full time in geneneral practice for 20 years! There is no point in working long, hard hours as GPs only ever pay what the Government suggests, although they have the option to pay more under the GP contract. The increase in their income is never passed on to the nursing staff. Personally I am at the top of band 6 & unable to go further unless I leave & venture into management. This pay award is an absolute insult to all nurses. It won't cover the cost of the annual water rate, council tax rise so we will be out of pocket! Quite frankly I am seriously considering leaving nursing altogether. I have recently ventured into other areas so will need some REAL incentive to make me stay in such a poorly rewarded profession. My sister has just left the NHS after >20 years & doesn't miss it at all. My partner has also recently left & joined the private sector where in less than 8 months he has received an £11,000 pay increase! What's nursing all about if we aren't recognised by our employers as being worth an at least infaltion equalling pay rise?? Extremely disheartened, potentially ex nurse!

rab333 | 13/04/2007 12:38:00

MORALE IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW AMONG N.H.S STAFF AND UNFORTUNATELY NOTHING LOOKS LIKE CHANGING THAT.I AM DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED IN TONY BLAIRS GOVERNMENT.HOSPITAL MANAGERS HAVE BECOME OBSSESSED WITH TARGETS AND BUDGETS AND IN AN EFFORT TO REACH THEM THEY ARE PREPARED TO LOSE GREATLY EXPERIENCED STAFF TO CUT THE WAGE BILL.tHIS COMPROMISES STAFF AND PUTS PATIENTS LIVES IN DANGER BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE SECONDARY.FIGURES ARE CONSTANTLY MANIPULATED TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION OF SUCCESSFUL HOSPITALS WHILST THE N.H.S. BLEEDS MONEY RIGHT, LEFT AND CENTRE.HISTORICALLY NURSES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN UNDERPAID AND UNDERVALUED NOW WE ARE UNDERSTAFFED AND OVERWORKED ALSO.IT SEEMS TO BE SYMPTOMATIC OF THIS COUNTRY RECENTLY THAT WE TRY TO FIGHT A WAR WITH POORLY TRAINED,BADLY EQUIPPED SOLDIERS,WE TRY TO FIGHT CRIME BY REDUCING VISIBLE POLICING AND WE TRY TO TAKE CARE OF THE SICK BY DEMORALISING AND CULLING THE AMOUNT OF HIGHLY TRAINED,VASTLY EXPERIENCED NURSES IN THE N.H.S.I DESPAIR...

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joy | 13/04/2007 21:43:00

I have to agree with you all. I've been in nursing for over 30 years. During all that time we have been, as a group, underpaid, and undervalued. It's about time we stood to be counted.

margaret | 14/04/2007 10:28:00

I totally agree I have never before wished I had chosen a different career but lately I just wonder what all the stress and feeling so undervalued is all about. I have been a nurse for 36 years and up till recently loved my job. It hasn't helped that I have went from a F grade to a 5 under A.F.C. I think it was a ploy to recoup some money after accidentally paying G.P.'s more than expected

Lorna | 14/04/2007 23:26:00

My job is more about clock times and less about patient care. People are being fooled to think that shorter waiting times equate to better standards.Infact patients are being herded through the system without basic investigations carried out, leading to mistakes and totally demoralised staff who still remember what it was like to care for patients

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Linda | 16/04/2007 09:24:00

I work as a practice nurse and the government is totally blind to the fact that practice nurses are the ones trying to keep up the standards whilst at the same time generate higher income for their employing GPs. QOF is an exercise of ticking targets to earn the GPs more money and it is NOT an exercise of improved care, but camaflauged less care. Whilst GPs are happy to cut corners to generate more business income, they keep all the rewards whilst it is their nurses who work for fifth of their annual rate, less annual leave and no influence on how the money is spent from QOF in benefiting patients or the groundwork of other staff that put in the hard work. Many experienced nurses now have higher qualifications in areas of work than the doctors they work with, yet the nurses seem be expected to work for free, often pay for their own training and updates and use their own time because their employers will not support them or pay them. What did my employing GPs do with AfC? They took the worst aspects from both, i.e no pay increments as with Whitley and no opportunity to advance. They are also happy to keep Whitley basic holiday structure so AfC has effectively given my employers a loop hole to reduce benefits and pay!

Liz | 16/04/2007 16:18:00

I have just returned to work today as a practice nurse after 5 weeks off with depression,the first time ever i have suffered with this,and i wonder just how much my job here had contributed to this.I have been a practice nurse here for 19 years and a gen nurse for 30.I feel that we are now working for a big game show,and if we don`t get the points,we dont get the prizes!Basically if we dont see x amount of COPD or IHD patients in a given time we are stuffed moneywise to put i t bluntly.What happened to good old fashioned patient care?As i pointed out to our practice manager what happens to the other patients? there needs are as great,just because they are not high earners for us,where has it all gone wrong?Certainly us nurses on the ground floor,see nothing as an incentive no more money/payrise ?which basically would feed a labrador for a week.They (GP`s) are doing quite nicely judging by the new jaguar and range rover in the carpark.We even have to pay for our parking at our surgery!The PCT have stripped us bare,where has all the money gone?certainly not into our surgery! I am told by a friend on the PCT in northern england that quite a lot of it has been wasted on inappropriate and useless IT equipment.Does anyone else feel as fed up as me? Tesco shelf filling seems less stressful!

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jane hyde | 17/04/2007 16:38:00

I was so disgusted with the agenda for change I left the nhs - not completely - I work in a gp surgery and the gps are my employers so they decide what grade I am and my pay awards each year. I am much happier and much less stressed now. But I agree with others we are still overworked and underpaid as we get more responsilibility for the same pay. Nothing changes unfortuately - I have been playing this game for too llong now and have basically stopped worried about it.

PHIL | 17/04/2007 21:38:00

I work as a community liaison nurse and I agree with a previous article that the job is becoming more office based and less patient centred. My trust are more concerned with seeing a computerised diary than allowing us to provide the highest standard of care that we all srtive for. I do feel undervalued and I feel that my current role demands a higher banding than I have at present.

Rosie Ball | 19/04/2007 14:46:00

Like many other nurses ,I feel very undervalued.Most days are extremely busy and can be very stressful.I try to give my best to every patient no matter what the circumstances.However it makes me very angry and demoralised to find we are not even getting a decent pay award and that it is being staged,when footballers ,some as young as 17 are earning thousands per week-where is the fairness in this.

char | 19/04/2007 15:41:00

A NURSE FOR 30 YRS A PAY DEAL UNDER THE RATE OF INFLATION WHO ELSE WOULD EXCEPT IT HOW MUCH HAVE THE POLITICIANS RECEIVED !!!! AND WHAT ABOUT THE GP CONTRACT we deserve a decent pay deal

meg | 19/04/2007 16:20:00

My youngest daughter's boyfriend aged 23 got his first job last year after graduating as an Engineer, and he was earning almost as much in his first job as I was as a Practice Nurse of 23 years standing!!!!!

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meg | 19/04/2007 16:32:00

I worked as a practice nurse for 23 years, but because we were deemed to be privately employed by the GP's, even though we only cared for NHS patients and our salary was 100% reimbursed by the health board, we were only readmitted to the NHS superannuation scheme in 1997, as a result of which, when I retired last year, my superannuation is £2,500 a year!!!

katherine | 19/04/2007 16:53:00

as a nurse working in primary care and significantly contributing to QOF it seems very unfair that GPs get a huge rise and the nurses who do the largest share of the work get nothing. Some practices don't even do AfC.Its all very disillusioning and demoralising

Elaine | 20/04/2007 14:11:00

I am presently working in primary care -my employers are two wonderfull Gp's, however the wages are not so wonderfull! I cover a patient list of approx 4,800 all needs catered for. my skill range is so not recognised by our government- as the AFC is not recognised in most Gp surgery's i would wellcome a urgent review of the primary care nurses pay- and of course all nurses deserve pay rises- My son of 24yrs earns 5,000 PA more than me for office duties??also i agree totally with other comments that QOF is very unfair- nurses contribute a fair % of the input!There should be pay guidelines for Gp's so primary care nurses are not left behind.

Dorothy Darwent | 20/04/2007 14:52:00

I have been a Practice Nurse since 1988 and seen numerous changes due to Government interferance which seem to have cost cutting as their main motivation. It is sad to see GPs getting corrupted by the love of money. This government is breeding GPs who see General Practice as a business not a public service. The obsession with QOF points leads to other patients being neglected while smokers etc get huge amounts of money spent on them. I am not the breadwinner of the family so less affected by pay but I hate to see young single people having to do 2 jobs to make ends meet while young investment bankers and footballers earn obscene salaries and bonuses. Our society is getting progressively worse due to greed, selfishness and the breakdown of family life. We must fight to preserve the ideals of compassion, integrity and selfless service to our communities. Our children and grandchildren should have the same quality of care that we had when we were young before materialism and money grabbing became the norm.

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yvonne | 20/04/2007 16:09:00

just like the rest of you I am fed up with the way nurses are payed I know the income the GP get, they say they value us but wont put their hand in their pocket I have been in nursing for 27 years and 15 as a practice nurse /manager.My practice is giving us 2% disgrace iIlike my hols and car just litk the Gp but I cant afford to go on 4 hols a year or buy a second home in spain. when are we going to get a fair pay increase. We are employed by the Gp so our pay is in their hands, they did receive a big increase a year ago which was not passed on to us it is their business and they reap the benefits but it's about time they looked after us. I for one am looking to get out

sandy sandy | 22/04/2007 15:24:00

i think the afc is grossly unfair and it was bad enough when the last grading system came in but this seems so much worse staff should not be working for less and across the country we should all get the same eg an f grade in london should be on the same afc level as an an f grade in glasgow years of experience count for very little and i agree with the others morale is low anyway without making it worse the review and appeal process is enough to put most of us off anyway maybe thats what trusts want and then all the newly qualified staff would all get jobs having nursed for the past 25 years or so and working as a g grade i think it is awful to be banded a 5 the same as newly qualified staff where is the sense in that we need lots of new staff to help us provide the basic nursing care that patients deserve but can sometimes not get it because of the senior nurses extended roles

julie h | 23/04/2007 09:51:00

Ive been a nurse for 33 years , at present a lead a practice nurse team. We take on more and more in primary care, with endless courses and more responsibility and what do we get 2% and a letter saying how grateful we should be NOTHING CHANGES i would not, advise anyone to take up nursing. How sad have things become!

Liz Walters | 25/04/2007 17:17:00

I have been nursing now for 30 years and working in a GP practice for 20,we have been told we will get a "cost of living rise" only in July which works out to be just over 1% which is a complete and utter disgrace.we are getting more and more work dumped on us,as we are paid by GPs they have us over a barrel as they do not adhere to the RCN pay guidelines for practice nurses so can pay us what they like.I have a pateint who is 18 and a baggage handler at stanstead and earning £12 an hour,i am completely demoralised with it all WE ARE ALL WORTH MORE !

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Rainey | 27/04/2007 13:12:00

What a sad and sorry lot we really are! We are mainly a female profession- could this be partly to blame for the fact that WE ALWAYS SETTLE FOR SECOND BEST! As mums or wives or partners we sacrifice a lot in our family/home lives- all we're doing at work is continuing that trend.As for our male colleagues- they either settle for a culture of opression and moaning or get themselves quickly up that promotion ladder to earn a decent living wage. Sorry nurses- YOU NEED TO GET MILITANT- start learning to say NO when asked ...could you just..... We're all far too obliging for our own good. I work in a busy general practice and am very happy in my work as over the past 18 years I have asserted myself and gone to the GPs for whom I work with sensible requests for training, more hours, more pay,etc. I have always acted in a very business like manner with them as this is how general practice works now- ie. costing my extra hours/extra income that they will be able to generate....I've always suceeded...do you get the drift? In general practice the GPs call the shots-get them on side- they can not survive without you- they just need to be told (subtly) AND YOU NEED TO DO THE TELLING!!!

jennifer daly | 30/04/2007 12:05:00

my sister, as a air hostess, makes more than me, as an E grade staff nurse!!!! IT'S TIME TO STRIKE........NOW!!!!!

lara | 10/05/2007 11:29:00

Morale : low 2% increase and a pat on the back ...from GP,s- who have 5/6 or more holidays a year and have just bought porsches etc. say no more If I could I would get out now. but am too near retirenment - not that is a joyeous prospect with our pay and pension.. I feel bitter and cheated . positively discourage anyone from becoming a nurse RCN what do they do................ I have no solutions and pray I never end up in an NHS institute of any kind -

Sharon Doncaster | 08/07/2007 12:45:00

I believe that morale is suffering because performance management is not a priority within the NHS.

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