THE Government’s failure to honour a one per cent pay rise across all nursing staff is both divisive and disrespectful to some of the hardest working and most caring individuals in the country.

It is divisive because it confuses pay progression (which rewards seniority of service) with a proper, consolidated pay award, and deliberately disadvantages longerserving nurses.

A Band 5 nurse moving to the top of their pay band this year will earn £558 less than they would have done had the Government honoured its original promise to pay a one per cent consolidated pay rise over the next two years.

Even Band 5 nurses on the bottom of their pay band will receive £460 less than they would have done if the Government had honoured the independent pay body’s recommendations.

This is a shameful way to treat front line nursing staff who go the extra mile day and night, and who often work unpaid overtime to meet patient needs.

MPs themselves were happy to take an 11 per cent pay rise from next year, on the recommendations of an independent pay review body. To disregard the NHS pay review body’s recommendations of a one per cent consolidated pay rise at the same time is extremely hypocritical.

The Westminster Government is now drawing up plans, asking the pay review body to come up with recommendations on how it can further undermine NHS terms and conditions.

As an RCN council member who has worked in the NHS for more than 40 years, I am disgusted with the continual attacks on staff terms and conditions. Morale is plummeting and workload is increasing. The NHS has always relied upon the goodwill of staff and the Government once again exploits this. Shame on it.

I urge all nurses, other health care staff and members of the public to make their views known to their MPs and would welcome your support at a demonstration and march in Westminster on October 18. Further details about this can be found on the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) website.

Gordon Lees, Hartlepool.