Many members say they will no longer pick up extra shifts, leaving gaps in staffing that could impact care.

Specialist nurses working additional hours through NHS Professionals, the Trust’s bank provider, have seen their hourly rates cut by up to 22%, with no plans for reinstatement. In response, 257 Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members signed a collective grievance urging the Trust to reconsider its decision, but the Trust has refused to budge.

The nursing bank at UHS is used to fill gaps on rotas. Instead of overtime, those on the bank are used to top up depleted nursing numbers across several areas including the emergency department, theatres and critical care. Quite often a more specialist Band 6 or Band 7 nurse might step in to fill a Band 5 bank position meaning the Trust gets a more highly skilled nurse without having to pay them for their skills. As one nurse commented: “I’m not being paid to have my advanced resuscitation skills but am I going to forget how to use them if a patient needs it? Of course not.”

Sam Crooks, RCN Senior Regional Officer, says:

“Slashing the bank pay rates at a time when the cost of living is rising is a huge blow to nurses. Many rely on extra shifts to make ends meet as the bank system is used in place of ‘overtime’. Some members have told us they don’t see the point in staying and will look for work elsewhere.

“We know that theatre lists have had to be cancelled because of a lack of staff and waiting times in the emergency department are high. Patients are suffering because of this.”

A nurse working in the emergency department says:

“The recent bank changes have hit us hard. We already work in overcrowded, under-resourced areas where essential patient care is often delayed. Our previous bank pay was below the Agenda for Change overtime rate, and now it’s been cut even further. Staff are exhausted and demoralised. It takes at least two years to train a fully competent emergency nurse, yet our skills aren’t being recognised.

“On many shifts, most nurses aren’t ED-trained because our own staff aren’t picking up extra shifts due to the pay cuts. That means patients wait longer and often don’t get the specialist care they need. We feel disrespected, undervalued, and deeply worried for our patients. If this continues, staff will leave, shifts will go unfilled, and a department already at breaking point will collapse.”

An RCN survey of affected bank staff revealed deep frustration and concern, with nurses describing themselves as ‘undervalued’, ‘disappointed’, and ‘disposable’. Many expressed fears that reduced staffing levels could compromise patient care:

• “I strongly believe that we are undervalued with the amount of work everyone puts in every single time. What happened to our trust value which is 'working together'?”
• “I have had enough of the constant disregard for the staff and despite being at Southampton General Hospital for several years I am looking for alternative employment.”
• “This endangers patient safety as we are already short staffed. Staff morale and burnout has been high since Covid and this will just make it worse, worsening staff retention.”

Sam Crooks says: “Members are angry that the Trust isn’t listening to their valid concerns around patient safety and staff wellbeing. We will be appealing this decision and hope that the Trust will work with us on finding a solution.”

Enhanced bank rates have been removed in the following areas: Cancer Care (Chemotherapy), Cardiac Ward, Child Health, Critical Care, Emergency Department, Endoscopy, HDU, NICU, PICU, Theatres (including Anaesthetic practitioners and scrub nurses).