Nurses express concern over yet another pensions hit

Published: 23 June 2011

For immediate release: Thursday 23rd June 2011

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) today expressed concern that nurses’ pensions have once again been put under threat.

RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said:
“In 2008, our members agreed to increase their contributions and to limit the money paid in by the taxpayer. These reforms are still sufficient and will result in the cost of public sector pensions falling by £67bn over the next fifty years - as recognized by Lord Hutton, The National Audit Office, and the Parliamentary Accounts Committee. There is no need for a second fundamental change in almost as many years.

“Increasing the occupational and state pension ages to 66 or older takes no account of the often extreme physical and mental pressures experienced by nurses over the course of a working life. When the NHS pension fund is in surplus to the tune of £2bn, at the same time that nurses are feeling the effects of a pay freeze, our members are rightly angered by yet another pensions hit. The proposed 3.2 per cent increase on employee contributions from March 2012 is neither necessary nor appropriate.

“The RCN has been involved for some time now in the negotiations surrounding the implications for public sector pensions based on Lord Hutton’s proposals. Nurses are telling us that the government is encouraging a pace that is too fast for proper consultation. As these discussions conclude over the coming weeks, we will continue to speak up for our members and the concerns they expressed at RCN Congress in April.”

Ends

Notes for Editors

1. Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the RCN, updates members on the latest reforms to public sector pensions in this film. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icL7WgQeUbQ
2. For further information, interviews or illustrations please contact the RCN Media Office on 0207 647 3633, press.office@rcn.org.uk or visit http://www.rcn.org.uk/newsevents/media
3. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations