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The Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain

NHS News

by New Worker correspondent

Monday saw the Royal College of Nursing announce that its members in England voted heavily against the 5.5 NHS pay award for 2024/25 which was the figure proposed by the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) and was confirmed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer when Labour was still enjoying its brief honeymoon.

The traditionally moderate union saw an unusually high number, 145,000, take part in the ballot, with 64 per cent rejecting it. However, as the union points out, this was a pay award rather than a pay offer which means it will still be paid. As such, the consultation was not a vote on the issue of further strike action, but one which signals widespread dissatisfaction.

RCN General Secretary, Professor Nicola Ranger, told the new Health Secretary that “we are witnessing a fundamental shift in the determination of nursing staff to stand up for themselves, their patients and the NHS they believe in”. She added that “our members do not yet feel valued and they are looking for urgent action, not rhetorical commitments. Their concerns relate to understaffed shifts, poor patient care and nursing careers trapped at the lowest pay grades – they need to see that the government’s reform agenda will transform their profession as a central part of improving care for the public”. But we should not expect him to pay very much attention unless nurses and other NHS workers declare they are willing to return to the picket line.

It is worth recalling that doctors secured a 22 per cent rise for two years after they took to the picket lines. Sixty-six per cent of the members of the British Medical Association have voted to accept that rise, but the union’s junior doctor co-leader, Dr Vivek Trivedi, said this is just the start saying “it does mark the start of the journey, but the journey is not over”.

On the same day the RCN announced that in Scotland its members, (along with other NHS unions) had voted in a different direction with 61 per cent voting to accept the same offer.

Julie Lamberth, Chair, of the union’s Scotland Board pointed out that “our campaign continues. We know the lack of recognition and relentless pressure on our NHS services has left many considering their future in the profession. The link between low pay, staff shortages and patient safety remains.”

Colin Poolman, the Scotland Director, warned the SNP Government that “we expect the Scottish government to be better prepared to enter negotiations in a timely fashion for 2025-26”. In particular “there is still much to do to ensure the safety critical role of nursing is recognised and rewarded”, mentioning a shorter working week, protected time for learning and back the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce with the financial resources to deliver change.

Earlier Unite announced that its members had voted by 93 per cent for the same offer. This will see the lowest paid workers getting £1,278, and a new hourly rate of £12.71. Unbound riches indeed.

James O’Connell, Unite lead negotiator for the Scottish health sector said “Unite has secured an inflation beating pay increase for our NHS Scotland membership. We believe the offer was the best negotiable under the present public financial circumstances, and it will provide a significant boost to take-home pay”.

The Scottish vote came after Unite members in England gave a thumbs up to the same offer with a two-thirds vote. In the aftermath of that vote Unite general secretary Sharon Graham warned “the government needs to understand the foundations of this acceptance are fragile and there is still much to be done to restore the NHS workforces’ confidence in politicians”.

Richard Munn, Unite’s UK national officer for health said “the commitment for pay increases being paid on time in 2025 is very welcome, it is essential that this happens. Trust cannot be broken on this point which is crucial to the lowest paid in the NHS.

“It is essential that the NHS does not suffer fresh cuts as, inevitably, it is our members that will end up shouldering this burden and it will be patients who ultimately suffer.”