The letter from RCN Deputy President Tracey Budding and RCN West Midlands Board member Kevin Crimmons, who live in Bromsgrove, says:
Dear Mr Javid
2021/22 NHS pay round
As your constituents and two of the Royal College of Nursing’s members who hold elected roles within the College, we are writing to you today to express our profound disappointment and frustration that the Government has still not announced a pay award for 2021/22 for nursing and other NHS staff employed on Agenda for Change contracts.
Today, it is 100 days since the start of the current fiscal year. In other words, it’s now more than 100 days that a pay award has been due to nursing and other health care workers, and which is now inexcusably overdue.
Not only overdue. Overdue following more than ten years of persistent pay cuts and pay freezes.
Overdue after 18 extraordinary and turbulent months in which nursing staff and their colleagues have worked with the utmost skill, commitment, bravery and compassion on the front line of country’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Overdue for professionals who are today, in Bromsgrove and beyond, continuing to spearhead the country’s outlook-changing mass COVID vaccination programme among countless other life-saving and life-enhancing actions.
The Government continues to express its appreciation of NHS staff but, for as long as it remains silent on their next pay award, the platitudes sound extremely hollow.
As we’re sure you know, the RCN is calling for a 12.5% increase in pay for NHS nursing staff.
We believe a meaningful pay rise would begin to recognise the skill and professionalism of nursing staff, which has historically been undervalued. It would encourage the next generation to join nursing and keep experienced staff in post as a much-needed morale boost. Importantly, it would also help to fill the tens of thousands of nursing vacancies in the NHS so patients receive the high standard of care they need and deserve.
We urge you to avoid any further delays in announcing the current year’s pay award so that NHS workers have greater certainty about their financial future and can reach a view about how much they feel the Government truly values their contribution.
Tracey Budding, RCN Deputy President
Kevin Crimmons, RCN West Midlands Board
