The RCN has accused Rishi Sunak of “burying his head in the sand” as the latest Office for National Statistics labour market overview shows vacancies in health care now account for one in 10 job vacancies across the UK. At the same time, growth in private sector pay continues to significantly outstrip public sector pay.
As our Fair Pay for Nursing campaign continues, RCN General Secretary & Chief Executive Pat Cullen said low pay is contributing to the staffing crisis and ultimately has an impact on the safety of patients.
Urging the Prime Minister to negotiate with the RCN, she added: “Nurses are leaving the profession in their droves with many taking similarly paid roles in sectors where they're not responsible for people’s lives in a crumbling heath service.
“The UK government’s negligence towards addressing vacancies is at heart of the crisis in the NHS. And to start addressing vacancies, they need to pay staff fairly.
“Yet the Prime Minister continues to bury his head in the sand – we are urging him, once again, to come to the table and negotiate.”
