A ONE-off bonus for nurses might be the way forqward out of the strikes, suggests Newton Abbot MP Anne Marie Morris.
She says: ‘Nurses are key to an effective and efficient health care system. Their dedication, skill and professionalism helped see the NHS through the pandemic, and I know how hard nurses in Devon and their colleagues across the country have been working to tackle the treatment backlogs that have followed.
‘We cannot forget that COVID and the health consequences of lockdown in particular have put huge pressure on them – and on their patients.
‘The Covid debt has to be paid and we are all having to tighten our belts. But clearly pay for nurses as for others must still be fair in this financial context.
‘It is for that reason that an arms-length independent body determines nurses’ pay.
The challenge in this case is that the calculation was done when interests rates and inflation were considerably lower, but that is not unique to nurses.
‘Everyone across the public and private sector is facing real-term pay cuts, and we must be careful and responsible with taxpayers money.
‘A one-off bonus might be a way forward particularly for those at the lower end of the pay scale, helping to top up existing government cost-of-living support.
‘The problem with a very large pay rise across the board is that inflation is now coming down and a pay rise on the scale of 19% would create an artificially high new base with no mechanism to rebalance it as inflation falls.
‘This strike has the potential not just to delay treatments, but also to cause consequences for patients that could be much more serious.
A more conciliatory approach rather than a straight demand for 19% – well above what other sectors are asking for –- would have been better.
For the union not to be prepared to have any discussions unless they covered pay was a mistake.
‘Nevertheless, I am hopeful a solution can be found, and that talks which I understand are now on the table will deliver it.’
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