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The press release issued by the RCN on 8 December 2022.

The Royal College of Nursing has called on the Health Secretary to open negotiations on NHS pay as new research shows the UK is the “sick man of Europe” again when it comes to nursing pay.

Data published this week by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed that the UK is languishing far behind comparable European countries.

In a letter on Monday 5 December to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Steve Barclay MP, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said: “As Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, I must ask you how you will respond to the categorical evidence that the United Kingdom values nurses less than others. It is deeply regrettable that we, as the UK, find ourselves as the sick man of Europe once again.”

With one week before up to 100,000 nursing staff take strike action in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Cullen says the RCN’s case “has been demonstrated on the world stage with immense strength.”

The OECD’s Health at a Glance: Europe 2022 report shows the pay of nursing staff working in hospitals in the UK in relation to national average salaries and shows that the UK ranks lowly in comparison with countries that are comparable in terms of population and size of the economy – like Germany, Spain and the Netherlands.

The report also demonstrates that relative to the cost of living across different countries, UK nurses receive lower wages in terms of what their wages can buy or their Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). This clearly shows that UK nurses fare worse than most other European countries not only in comparison to national average earnings, but in relation to their incomes failing to keep up with the day-to-day cost of living.

And while in many other countries across Europe nursing earnings have kept up with inflation over the last decade, the UK has fallen far behind. The OECD report confirms that in many countries across Europe nurses’ pay has increased in real terms since 2010, but fallen in the UK.

In the letter sent on Monday 5 December to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Steve Barclay MP, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said:

“Ten days before my members are forced to take industrial action our case has been demonstrated on the world stage with immense strength.

“This report from the OECD, Health at a Glance, confirms that in many countries across Europe the pay of nurses has increased in real terms since 2010, whilst falling in real terms in the UK.  In the most recent year of data available to the OECD, nursing pay as compared with UK average earnings falls below the level seen in most European countries. The report also confirms officially lower wages in terms of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), in the UK, than the average EU20 nation. This clearly shows that UK nurses fare worse than most other European countries not only in comparison to national average earnings, but in relation to their incomes failing to keep up with the day-to-day cost of living.

“As Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, I must ask you how you will respond to the categorical evidence that the United Kingdom values nurses less than others. It is deeply regrettable that we, as the UK, find ourselves as the sick man of Europe once again.

“With the facts laid out bare by the OECD, you may now feel clearer on why my members across the four countries have voted so decisively for strike and why the remedial action on the part of governments must be as significant as it is urgent.

“As I have made clear on multiple occasions, you have the option to avert strike action by opening formal negotiations about the current pay award.”

Last week, the RCN confirmed the locations of December strikes across the UK – with up to 100,000 nursing staff taking part in strikes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on December 15 and 20.

The RCN’s Fair Pay for Nursing campaign is calling for a pay rise of 5% above inflation (measured by RPI).

The RCN says the economic argument for paying nursing staff fairly is clear when billions of pounds is being spent on agency staff to plug workforce gaps. Also, independent research commissioned by the RCN has shown the Exchequer would recoup 81% of the initial outlay of a significant pay rise in terms of higher tax receipts and savings on future recruitment and retention costs.

In the last year, 25,000 nursing staff around the UK left the Nursing and Midwifery Council register. Poor pay contributes to staff shortages across the UK, affecting patient safety. There are 47,000 unfilled registered nurse posts in England’s NHS alone.

The press release issued by the RCN on 8 December 2022.

Responding to UCAS figures showing that the number of nurses entering education is falling in the UK, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said:

“It is deeply troubling to see things heading in the wrong direction. People are put off nursing by the poor and unfair treatment this fantastic profession gets, often at the hands of politicians.

“With record waiting lists, we need the pipeline of the nurses of the future to be expanding, not contracting.

“That acceptances on to nursing-degree courses, and applications to them, is falling does not bode well for our profession – or for the safety of patients.

“Tomorrow’s staff need to know that a career in nursing shouldn’t come with a personal financial sacrifice. A lifetime of service must not mean a lifetime of poverty.

“In a week’s time up to 100,000 nursing staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be striking because they lack that assurance and because staff shortages are putting patients at risk.“Nursing students in higher education should have access to adequate financial support for tuition and the cost of living – and fair pay for the work they do. Until this happens, this downward trend in interest in the profession is likely to continue.”

The press release issued by the RCN on 8 December 2022.

Responding to NHS England Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times, RCN Director for England, Patricia Marquis, said:

“The whole of the health and care system is under huge strain, with a record estimated 7.2 million people stuck on waiting lists in England and thousands waiting more than 12 hours to be admitted to a hospital bed or discharged because of a lack of community or social care.

“With a severely depleted workforce, the pressure on staff to do more and more with less and less is not sustainable. Patients are at risk and is why nurses are taking strike action on patient safety as well as pay.

“In a week’s time nurses will take to the picket lines in our first national strike. Nurses are doing this for their patients as much as for the profession.”

The press release issued by the RCN on 7 December 2022.

Responding to the Prime Minister’s comments today, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said:

“The government should negotiate with nurses and stop these cheap and divisive political games. For the first time in their working lives my members are saying enough is enough.

“Hundreds of thousands of hard working, decent people should not be cast aside as ‘unreasonable’ for expecting better for themselves, their families and their patients. The Prime Minister appears out of touch with the public if he is intent on attacking nursing staff like this.”

The press release issued by the RCN on 6 December 2022.

Sheilbye (Sheila) Sobrany has been announced as the Royal College of Nursing’s new President after receiving the most member votes out of the four candidates standing for election to the high-profile role. 

After taking over from current President Dr Denise Chaffer, Sheila Sobrany will begin the role from 1 January 2023 for two years and act as an ambassador for the nursing profession, representing the RCN to its members, stakeholders and the public both across the UK and internationally. She will also serve as a full member of RCN Council.  

Sheila’s key priorities are securing fair pay for nursing staff, reducing pressures on the profession and tackling racism, bullying, harassment and discrimination of health care workers.

RCN President–elect Sheila Sobrany said: 

“I am humbled by the support I have received and deeply honoured to take on the role of President at a critical time for nurses, nursing and our Royal College. 

“I will lead on the core issues identified in my campaign: making the RCN strong for members, not least in our campaigns for fair pay and patient safety, and advocating clearly for diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

“As a professional college and trade union, we must foster a strong sense of unity and belonging for our members in their work and our organisation. As your new RCN President, I cannot do this without you and I need your support to make this possible.”

A course leader in adult nursing at the University of East London, Sheila also currently sits on the RCN London Board. 

Her election follows the publication of findings from an independent review into the culture of the RCN, led by Bruce Carr KC. 

On this, Sheila said: “I will work each day of my term to lead the RCN in tackling and rooting out the poor behaviours identified in the Carr Review and hold to account anybody who tries to perpetuate them. 

“The culture of the organisation and how it works must change, and I will dedicate myself to that ambition, carrying with me the support and aspiration of each member.”

The press release issued by the RCN on 2 December 2022.

Chemotherapy, dialysis, critical care units such as ‘intensive care’ and ‘high dependency’, neonatal and paediatric intensive care are the areas the RCN is confirming will be exempt from the strike action later this month.

In formal letters to NHS employers today, the College has set out what it means by a commitment to a ‘life-preserving care model’ during industrial action.

Other services, which do not meet these criteria, may be reduced to a ‘Christmas Day’ or ‘night duty’ level.

The strikes will take place on Thursday 15 and Tuesday 20 December unless government negotiations are able to pause the action.

RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said:

“Every nurse feels a heavy weight of responsibility to make this strike safe. Patients are already at great risk and we will not add to it.

“This list of exemptions shows how seriously we take our commitment and it should put patients’ minds at ease.

“Nursing staff do not want to take this action but ministers have chosen strikes over negotiations. They can stop this at any point.”

The press release issued by the RCN on 1 December 2022.

Responding to the latest NHS England vacancy statistics and urgent and emergency care daily situation report, RCN Director for England, Patricia Marquis, said:

“With more than 13,000 patients a day stuck in hospitals because the community and social care they need to be safely discharged is unavailable, it’s easy to see why health and care is at breaking point.

“Combined with a record 47,000 nurse vacancies across the NHS in England, this is precisely the reason why our members have decided to strike – because the workforce gaps and being underpaid have made care unsafe.

“Ministers have repeatedly ignored our calls to address the workforce crisis and to put serious investment in nursing, including fair pay.

“They’ve also dismissed our offer of serious negotiations on pay and patient safety – unless the health secretary changes course 100,000 nurses will be walking out in two weeks’ time.”