Health unions come together to urge end of 'detrimental' 1% pay cap
2 min read
Unions representing over a million NHS employees have come together to urge the Government to scrap the 1% cap on pay rises for health workers.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, the 15 signatories claimed the continued real-terms cuts to wages were having a “profound and detrimental effect on standards of care” due to staff shortages.
Among those to sign the letter are Unison, Unite, the GMB, the Royal College of Nursing, and the British Medical Association.
They called on Theresa May to use Wednesday’s Queen’s Speech to shift policy.
“The public sector pay cap has forced professionals out of jobs they love,” the letter read.
“Those who stay are overstretched and under pressure to do ever more with less…
“The longstanding cap stands in the way of recruiting and retaining the best in healthcare.”
The unions also highlighted the growing debate within the Conservatives about the future of austerity, noting that a number of figures have said economic restraint was a “significant factor in the general election result”.
The Department of Health responded to the letter: “As the Secretary of State has made clear, the support and welfare of NHS staff is a top priority as they do a fantastic job.
“The Government is committed to ensuring they can continue to deliver world-class patient care.”
Shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth said health service staff “deserve better” from the Government.
“The election result proves that the public will no longer tolerate this Government’s neglect and disregard towards those who care for us at our time of need,” the Labour MP added.
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