Forum Topic

1% pay "rise" insult for NHS Staff

As a pensioner who has already received the vaccine and has been informed that I will be receiving a 2.5% increase in my state pension I am disgusted that the government does not consider NHS staff, who have worked right through the pandemic (and, in some cases, died of Covid on the job), are not worth the same increase.I am painfully aware that pensioners pay less tax on the same income as working people because we are exempt from National Insurance even though we benefit more on average from the health and other benefits paid for through this particular tax.   Government has prioritised the most vulnerable through lockdown policies and has given them vaccine priority over the many key workers who have kept our economy and society functioning. I, for one, would be happy to pay National insurance on the same basis as younger people if this would help pay for decent pay rises for people in the front line who have worked throughout the pandemic. If pay rises for these people are being kept below inflation why is the government retaining its commitment to above inflation increases to pensions? Is this for political advantage?

John Connelly ● 2063d87 Comments

They are looking at changing the NI status to make it apply to pensioners still working.  A dismal idea as most pensioners who are working are doing it because they really have to.  2.5% of a meagre pension - the worst in Europe - is not much and Sunak may stop the triple lock in future.  If you are feeling so cash rich, there is nothing to stop you donating what you are happy to to the NHS. However, I do agree that 1% for NHS workers most of whom have gone far beyond the call of duty is appalling and very bad judgment from the Chancellor.  But it should not be to the detriment of many struggling pensioners who have no opportunity to earn more money by eg, changing jobs.

Claire Moran ● 2063d

Two points well made Claire.Adding a third, the Hounslow mob who have just given themselves a less than modest pay hike need to think on.

Adrian Irving ● 2062d

Talk about a betrayal, as for that revolting Nadine Dorries patronising and insulting, wittering on about vocation this morning. The question really is can we, and our NHS, afford NOT to give these amazing people a decent wage? We are looking at staggering waiting lists for operations and care that have been put on hold, we need our hospitals properly staffed. If the government can find money to pay their mates for these lucrative contracts they can damn well find some to pay the people who have helped save our bacon.

Vanessa Smith ● 2062d

What was life expectancy when NI was arranged to stop when you retired?  Many of those who lived through the war have lived for longer than they have worked. I don't think that is continuing though with our unhealthy inactive lifestyles.  We should also look at how rationing of healthcare or access to appropriate healthcare may be a false economy.

Philippa Bond ● 2062d

The 1% pay rise is for all NHS staff.Hopefully they can review front line staff's pay later.Nurses like teachers can get their pay increased by their managers when they get their grades reviewed.Fortunately private companies have been able to help out by giving free food and discounts on shopping and other services.

Chris Lucy ● 2062d

Should have been 10%. It's wrong to take advantage of people for whom nursing is a vocation. If 10% is too far then print more money. We can afford bombs but not decent pay for nurses?

Chris Blackwell ● 2062d

Would any of us working have objected to a small ringfenced tax increase to fund a better pay rise?I very much doubt it

Paul Fisher ● 2062d

It is important to remember that the Conservatives hate the idea of the NHS.  It is against their free market small state principles.Two members of the current cabinet contributed to a book (Raab / Patel) which advocated the reduction of the state.You can never trust the Tories with the NHS.

David Grantley ● 2062d

Not sure the 1% is correct I heard on the news that nurses already have an agreed pay rise structure that would increase some frontline nurses by 12%. So the 1% is a headline across the NHS think there is a lot more detail behind it. It is a real challenge balancing the cost, size and expectation of patients. I believe the NHS is the 5th largest employer in the world????? I would favour an additional payment a bit like pensions which is a dedicated NHS payment via PAYE. Individuals and companies contribute similar amount to the pension formulas that would raise billions. Equally the NHS has to be well managed, reduce waste and cap consultants fees ha! Many consultant operate both privately and NHS and do earn massive amounts. No issue with that but I would like to see nurses benefit more than surgeons.

Jayne Thorburn ● 2062d

There are thousands of vacancies in the NHS.  Understaffing causes more stress on those whose vocation it is and who are working. It is true that healthcare is already rationed but many do not realise this.  It is not just the rationing of care that is a problem but the fragmenting and outsourcing without the time/ability and knowledge to follow up and investigate when necessary eg when those results go missing and are much later found warehoused instead of being returned to the GP for action etc.  Everything needs chasing - time is also money.Due to the lack of staff you will find that some consultants have been working as nursing staff and many have done some quicker than usual training especially in the use of respiratory equipment in order to move from their usual non-Covid hospital jobs.  There is nothing like great teamwork but there need to be more staff and they need better pay and appreciation.

Philippa Bond ● 2062d

"If 10% is too far then print more money"If the economy isn't damaged enough already, you would want to stoke up inflation ? The idea of an automatic annual pay rise is really a hangover from the runaway inflation of the 1960s and 1970s. I agree that NHS frontline staff deserve financial recognition for their exceptional efforts during the pandemic, but "printing money" is not the way to pay for it.

Richard Greenhough ● 2062d

I do agree with you Richard, we must remember the government has no money it’s our money paying for things and we have a massive debt. So we have to be sensible, many people have lost their jobs/businesses or just hanging on, it is a fine balance, I do think we need to find a new way of funding the NHS as we can’t sustain it through the traditional method of income tax/NI. We do need a thriving private sector to fund the public sector. No one likes paying more tax but we will have no choice given the pandemic and the various generous government schemes.

Jayne Thorburn ● 2062d

This proves that the Tories are complete scum and anyone who agrees with them on this is too.

Brian Green ● 2062d

'You can never trust the Tories with the NHS.''Private Eye' notes that apart from Matt Hancock being in trouble over his failure to publish Covid multi million pound government contracts within the 30 day period required by law. He has also been asked to refer Centene's takeover of GP services in London serving 500,000 patients for a Care Quality Commission investigation to determine if the private provider is up to the task of taking on such a large chunk of NHS work'.

Vanessa Smith ● 2062d

Weren't MPs awarded awarded a pay rise of about £5,000 last December?

Roger Talbot ● 2062d

Brian, you aren't Steve Taylor in disguise by any chance ?

Richard Greenhough ● 2062d

No he would have called them morons.

Brian Green ● 2062d

Brian you should learn to have a conversation, the 1% headline is misleading

Jayne Thorburn ● 2062d

Even before Covid , government debt had doubled to £2 trillion in the last ten years. What with the pandemic, the enormous financial cost of Brexit so far and the very slow growth predicted for the next few years, the financial outlook for the country is not promising and as always it will hit the poorest and lowest - paid most. If only the government had not wasted £37 billion on an app that is rubbish - every little helps.

Stewart Jones ● 2062d

In these times of low inflation and negligible interest rates, governments can create as much money as they want and the country needs.  Are we all so brainwashed by Mrs Thatcher's 'spend within your means housewives' handbag economics'? And even if we went with that approach, there's plenty of room to increase tax income to pay for what the country really needs.  To pretend otherwise is just a cover for good old-fashioned Tory 'live within our means' austerity, which is what we're hearing right now, and which we all know will hit the poorest worst.  What's so perverse it that the poor and most deprived and most put upon don't rise up or even vote against these people, but continue to believe in the 'no magic money tree' propaganda and remain suspicious of 'free stuff', however much they'd benefit from it. Then add to that the government minister's propaganda that decent hard working public service workers 'shouldn't be doing it for the money'. It's a typical Tory truism that you shouldn't pay the workers too much or you'll attract the wrong kind of person, but you need to pay the bosses properly to attract the right kind of person - such as Members of Parliament maybe?  So it already looks as if any hopes of 'things getting better' or 'being different' after Covid have already become a fantasy - except for the upper echelons of our society who will always do well out of any passing crisis.

Peter Evans ● 2062d

Mrs Thatcher's 'spend within your means housewives' handbag economics' was a reaction to the inflationary period that preceded her coming to power - the days when Harold Wilson claimed that 'the pound in your pocket' had not been devalued while presiding over rampant inflation, which hit the poorest and most deprived hardest.

Richard Greenhough ● 2062d

"Weren't MPs awarded awarded a pay rise of about £5,000 last December?"The rise was due to be £3,300 (4.1%) and was opposed by the Prime Minister - https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/23/boris-johnson-opposes-pay-rise-for-mps-says-no-10

Richard Greenhough ● 2062d

Hi Stewart - I think you will find that the cost of the app that you are referring to was £35 million and not £35 billion. Perhaps you should try and get out a little bit more?There is a strong argument for governments borrowing money for building infrastructure when interest rates are low. However, the current "short" profile of gilt lives means that any interest rate rises will rapidly feed through into the public accounts as government debt reaches maturity and is replaced by far more expensive new 'paper'.The known unknown is just how robust are our financial systems if the British state is still carrying this high level of debt when the next pandemic, economic meltdown or natural disaster hits? The super rich may always find a way of insulating themselves from the effects but what about the rest of us?

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 2062d

I'm sure you know he's not just talking about the app?Are you saying the Track & Trace has only cost £35 million?

Basil Finnis ● 2062d

This is the pay rises agreed over the last 3 years>Over the next three years, nurses will see a minimum salary increase of 6.5%That increase will be structured in the following way for most bandings:3 % in 2018/191.7% in 2019/20 plus a lump sum worth 1.1% paid in April 20191.7% in 2020/21These rates refer to top-of-band nurses – nurses at the bottom of their bandings could see increases of up to 29% over the next three yearsIn some Band 8 and Band 9 positions, pay increases will be structured differentlySo the additional 1% is in additional note newly qualified nurses received 29% increase over the last 3 years plus generous pension you will struggle to find the same in the private sector

Jayne Thorburn ● 2062d

So it is 1% for 2021/22.

John Connelly ● 2062d

JT > "This is the pay rises agreed over the last 3 years..."The last three years were certainly an improvement over the seven years before that:2010-2015: wages increased by 2.2% across the period.2015-2017: wages increased by 1% each year.

John Whitworth ● 2062d

John it’s not a flat 1% per person that is the overall cost to taxpayers which  will be an uplift of 1% in the total payroll budget I hope the lower grades will get more as was reflected in the last pay deal. 1% of the NHS total payroll will be billions!  Given millions unemployed due to the pandemic, asking everyone to pay more tax to fund the NHS right now might not go down too well given millions are struggling. It’s a balance. I suspect the majority of people in the private sector will receive zero increase this year and those looking for employment may have to take a cut, hence it’s a balancing act.

Jayne Thorburn ● 2062d

John how the NHS divi it up it’s up to them, again I say I hope the lower grades receive more as was the case in the last pay rise deal. The 1% relates to the overall payroll budget which in itself will be massive. So before anyone judges let the NHS decide how they plan to divi it up.

Jayne Thorburn ● 2062d

Basil - he was talking about the original app "that was rubbish". If he was talking about the current NHS app then are you saying that that is a waste of money as well ?The Public Accounts Committee were told that £10.8m was spent on the initial version that was dumped in June 2020.Speaking on the 17 September, David Williams, second permanent secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care, told the committee some of the spend on the original app is “relevant” to the app due to launch on 24 September.“On the new app, this is a forecast figure for spend on developing the app and then supporting it through the rest of the financial year, my estimate is around £25 million,” he said.On the wider government spend on digital during Covid-19, he added: “Given the scale of the challenge we have had quite a high appetite, consistent with protecting value for money for the taxpayer, for spending some money on developing innovations and techniques which may help us, even if the case was not proven at the time.”NHSX chief executive Matthew Gould confirmed the spend on the initial version of the contact-tracing app was £10.8m million – a revised figure from the previous £11.8 million.Some £4 million of that was “specific to the version of the app which we moved away from”.“We estimate now that the cost of the first stage of development with the original app was £10.8 million. Of that, £0.8 million was focused on the Google/Apple parallel track, which is now the one that’s being developed,” he told the committee.“With the remaining £10 million, we estimate £6 million was on the development that would have been necessary regardless of which version we chose, so has led to capability insights that underpins the current app.”NHSX was initially tasked with the development of the contact-tracing app but it was handed over to NHS Test and Trace, led by Baroness Dido Harding, when the programme was launched in May.

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 2062d

This is what a dear friend of mine thinks about the government's pay offer to NHS staff.Yesterday, the final blow was dealt. A proposed 1% pay rise for NHS staff, whilst others, outside the NHS, are proposing to vote themselves increases above 1%. This is an absolute disgrace. For the past ten years, pay and conditions in the NHS have been ransacked. Pay frozen, public pensions attacked. Remember the coalition government, who managed to convince the public that NHS staff all had gold plated pensions?  Who stood up to oppose those changes and support the NHS ? Who has stood up and challenged the huge management costs in the NHS ? Layers and layers of management posts, directors, non executive directors, trust chairmen, plus all the others in every NHS hospital. Some junior managers, with few or no qualifications, no direct contact with patients but many paid the same or more than a Ward or ITU Sister with  professional degrees.What has happened over the past year? The doctors, nurses, health care assistants, frontline admin staff, porters and cleaners, left to basically run the hospitals, whilst most of the management have worked from home. Imagine the nursing staff, having to deal with several deaths per shift, being the last person to hold someone's relatives hand as they die? The sheer stress each hour of each 12 or 13 hour shift, worked with no breaks. Exhausted, emotionally and physically. Who stood up and challenged the 44.000 nursing vacancies? Well I can hold my hand up and say that I have, especially in the last ten years of my 47 year career as a nurse. I retired 2 years ago, fed up with no one listening to us, targets above patient care, plus many many other issues.The time has come to stand up and demand a complete overhaul of the structures in our NHS. Bring back the outsourced staff, porters and cleaners in house, so that their pay and conditions can be improved. Yes the NHS requires managers but not in the numbers, we currently have. Savings made can be redirected to frontline staff. Who is actually going to stand up and challenge all of the above? A golden opportunity for the Labour Party and others to step up to the plate.

Vanessa Smith ● 2062d

Vanessa the NHS has got sooooo big it’s like trying to turn a tanker on the Thames an enormous challenge and no one has the courage to do it. Your pal it right it should have been reformed years ago on every level, it should be outside of politics but no party has the time or vision it will take decades to change. It’s very success since inception has become its weakness today.

Jayne Thorburn ● 2062d

NHS staff should get a minimum 10% increase.  The government could increase Corporation Tax from 6 April 2021 the instead of stalling until 2023.Also we have far too many Councillors who only run for office because of the monthly handout they receive for doing NOTHING.  Reduce the stipend to £6000 a year £8000 for cabinet members and £12,000 for the Leader and you will get rid of the bloodsuckers and attract only those prepared to do a public service. 

Steve Taylor ● 2062d

Why 10% Steve. Why not show how grateful we are and make that 20%?

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 2062d

'Keep politics out of the NHS'. It's politics that comes up with 1% pay rises.

Peter Evans ● 2062d

No it’s call the economy which  is in the toilet, debt is crazy and as to Steve’s suggestion to increase corp tax this year just crazy. Without a thriving private sector there is no public sector, businesses are struggling and many picking up debt so they need time to reinvent themselves and get back on track. So there is profit to pay corp tax ha! as I say let’s see how the NHS divi up the billions.

Jayne Thorburn ● 2062d

For the record, when Heath (Conservative) come to power in June 1970 (following 6 years of a Labour government), inflation was around 6%. It increased rapidly under his government, to around 17% when he left office in Feb 1974. The 1973 oil crisis obviously did not help (quadrupling oil prices), but the inflationary trend was already well under way.In fact, under the Wilson and Callaghan governments 1994 to 1979, although inflation initially continued to rise (hitting 24%) inflation fell again to 8%, although it was rising again when Thatcher came to power in 1979.  It peaked again under Thatcher at 18%.So to suggest that inflaction is higher under Labour governments is simply factually incorrect.Of course, if a country stops spending, and reduces debt,(i.e. austerity) that is likely to be deflationary and lead to recession.  Inflation is only one factor of how well an ecomomy is being run.And comparing one government with another is probably less fair a test than comparing how a government does by comparision to other comparable economies over the same period, because of the influences outside a government's control (mainly in the past oil prices).But let's not get sucked into the "Convervatives are better at running the economy" myth because on objectve terms this is demonstrably untrue.

T P Howell ● 2062d

Meanwhile we have been providing Boris and Carrie with luxury takeaways worth £12,500 this year from Daylesford and that's the tip of the iceberg in terms of expenses for MPs not to mention the pay rises they vote themselves. It's an utter disgrace.

Claire Moran ● 2062d

I wasn’t making comparisons just a simple fact in the current circumstances our debt level is highest since WW2 thanks to Covid. Many people are struggling and will continue to do so. The government has provided a massive lifeline to the majority of businesses so now is the time to breath again hopefully very soon and get people back to jobs, reducing unemployment and rebuilding the economy. We need a thriving private sector.

Jayne Thorburn ● 2062d

Agree Jayne.

Janice Evans ● 2062d

Disagree Jayne  The biggest contribution, in percentage terms, to the national debt has been the BoE policy of QE. Add in the growth crushing impact of austerity and you have the 10 year record of Tory governments doubling the national debt. And the icing on the cake has been dubious private sector contracts during this pandemic. Growth and economic prosperity for as many as possible is the answer to national debt. Mean minded penny pinching, the frugal household mindset, does not work in macro economics. Do not confuse the two.PS I noted last year that the clapping for heroes was a distraction and a scam. It was shameful pretence of gratitude from Johnson. I’m not happy that I was right.

Alan Clark ● 2062d

'Growth and economic prosperity for as many as possible is the answer to national debt'.I agree Alan,spot on.National debt can be paid off over hundreds of years: servicing the debt is the issue.If an economy is denuded of the means of being able to do this then it's in big trouble.Short termism and quick returns has always blighted this country,the Conservative party being the main driver for this.We need a fundamental,structural change to everything for the greater good of all.

Ben Gemmingen ● 2062d

2.5% increase on pensions is unnecessary & completely out of order.That is about £2.5billion.If you froze pensions for a year (like other state sector salaries) that extra £2.5billion could go to NHS staff giving them a 6% increase rather 1%.How about that pensioners?

Richard Potts ● 2062d

Repeat that when you are a pensioner.

Janice Evans ● 2062d

Not a pensioner but 2.5% of around 6-8K pa (depending when you drew your pension) is very little indeed. You sound like a very wealthy pensioner not reliant on the State pension. Unfortunately many are and really do have to choose between eating and heating. Typical fatcat lib lovey in Chiswick and so out of touch with the lives of many.

Claire Moran ● 2062d

Are you Denis Moore in disguise?

Keith Iddon ● 2062d

Claire, I agree that 2.5% on the basic pension is buttons. However, in my initial post the point I am making is that if your income is, say, £30,000 gross, the amount after tax should be the same regardless of whether the source is employment, self-employment, capital gains, rent, or various pensions. Age should not be a factor as the older you live the more you benefit from state services and benefits that are supposedly paid for from national insurance.T reiterate, 1% increase is an insult to our Health Service staff.

John Connelly ● 2062d

So your outrage of the insulting 1% NHS increase does not extend to giving up any of your 2.5% increase?"Support our wonderful NHS"..... as long as it doesn't effect me?

Richard Potts ● 2062d

'Divide and rule' and so it continues...Meanwhile,the few who benefit from this laughtheir heads off.'There is no such thing as society'.Thatcher and her ilk ,cast a malign influence on this country.

Ben Gemmingen ● 2062d

Hi Sam, I should have said £37 billion for the whole of Track and Trace - a staggering amount of money-Im sure you'll agree.You suggest that perhaps I should get out more ? There is an ongoing pandemic and we're being told to stay at home.Perhaps you would care to take a look atthe LBH Councillors Code of Conduct which states that all councillors are obliged to treat members of the public with respect. I'm not sure that telling members of the public that they should get out more fulfils that requirement.

Stewart Jones ● 2061d

“ Steve’s suggestion to increase corp tax this year just crazy. “Why?  I am only suggesting the increase is immediate rather than waiting until 2023. And the increase is in any case only applicable to companies making profits over £250k. Currently companies making HUGE profits are paying massive dividends to shareholders. Personal tax to high earners (top bracket)  should also be increased by at least 10%. There are plenty of ways to earn money to pay NHS a 10% increase. We could even apply to join the EU and enjoy all the financial benefits that come along with being a member!

Steve Taylor ● 2061d

To be fair pensioners have had it difficult during Covid, unable toGo out so the Heating Bills etc., are exceptionally high this year so I don't Believe in making life even more difficult for them financially.  This hatredTowards pensioners is very disturbing.

Janice Evans ● 2061d

Hatred? What hatred? The suggestion that it is wrong to give NHS staff only 1% whilst increasing the state pension by 2.5% came from a pensioner.

Robert Fish ● 2061d

It is ironic to say that duty on Alcohol is frozen and is paid for by a an NHS "wage cut".Alcohol is a root cause of many of our health issues - not least obesity. So drink more - get fatter - push up demand on NHS - but we'll cut investment to NHS at the same time. Where is sense in that?A crisis bigger that Covid? Climate change.Why not increase fuel duty? Increasing fuel duty helps make the economic case for green energy. It's the only way we will switch.And had Rishi increased duty on these things? Nurses could have had the pay increase they deserve.

Richard Potts ● 2061d

many on here pick on pensioners its gone on for a long time and I find it disturbing because many are struggling to get by and as Claire said it is a fixed income.  I shop for some so know they are not well off.

Janice Evans ● 2061d

Yes agree Richard.

Janice Evans ● 2061d

Every decision has consequences, increasing duty on alcohol would hit hospitality, fuel people’s livelihoods, millions have lost their jobs, many living on furlough at reduced income. To my knowledge no one in the public sector was furloughed or made redundant so I go back to balance. It is a tough call the NHS is a fantastic institution but also extremely emotive.

Jayne Thorburn ● 2061d

They are both damaging to health and you have the option to purchase or not.

Janice Evans ● 2061d

Increased productivity is key.Cut this cut that, rob Peter to pay Paul doesn't work in the long term.UK Plc needs to fire up businesses large and small to create jobs and economic growth which will go some way to raise the standard of living and make for a more contented country.,

Adrian Irving ● 2061d

Adrian we are on the same page x

Jayne Thorburn ● 2061d

Economic growth will take a long time.

Janice Evans ● 2061d

Unfortunately it is difficult to fire up the economy in the middle of the pandemic whilst so many are still dying and the NHS is still struggling so you need to think outside the box to fund the NHS and pay those poor people what they deserve. Hospitality sector workers have enjoyed furlough pay and employers have received many other benefits to keep them from going under. Those who have gone under were no doubt struggling well before the Pandemic. We all know how many pubs and restaurants closed before Covid due to bad service, bad food and bad management. Boozers will continue to booze even if you double alcohol duty so it should definitely be increased. The few who cannot afford to get drunk due to the increased duty can start to get healthy and be less of a drain on the NHS so it’s a win win situation!

Steve Taylor ● 2061d

Steve you may not be able to handle your drink hence getting drunk but for the majority of the population we can enjoy a drink with family and pals, it’s called socialising which is an important part of being human we need social contact. You forget to mention mental health????? If you think people living off furlough are fine think again, it only covers 80% of salary capped at £2,500. The grants you refer to may keep the landlord at bay but there are many costs associated with a business so many have build up debt. I feel more positive and hope the economy bounces back reasonably quickly rather than taking years.

Jayne Thorburn ● 2061d

I think we need to start talking things up now not down down down all the blooming time if we are going to get out of this mess. No one said it will be easy.It was refreshing to hear Andrew Neil on the telly the other day. Asked how he saw the future he replied " I think we are going to be OK" which coming from a dour  Scotsman is more or less.....Whoppe Doope Doo!

Adrian Irving ● 2061d

Again totally agree we have had a tough year, vaccine rollout absolutely outstanding, we are a tough lot and will come out of this stronger. I feel very positive about the future, companies have reinvented themselves, it has forced the pace of digital we must grab the few positives and build on them.

Jayne Thorburn ● 2061d

Oh dear Jayne. How sad that you don’t believe someone can be ‘human’ without drinking alcohol and how said that you can’t socialise without drinking alcohol.  Surely you can enjoy yourself socially without drinking alcohol?  If you really, really can’t cope with life without booze, go for it but  surely you can live with paying extra duty to help fund the NHS?Regarding the furlough £2500 cap, I guess some NHS staff must be shaking their heads at your comment and could only dream of earning that amount of money. It just proves yet again how out of touch the Tories are and how greedy some people are when they put company profits and their dividends before lives.  Such hypocrisy when they ‘clap’ for the NHS. Ps. Don’t assume I can’t handle drink. I just choose not to drink alcohol on a regular basis but if I choose to take a dram or two I would be very happy if duty was doubled or even quadrupled if it helped the NHS.

Steve Taylor ● 2061d

Who said this after being allowed home from hospital:“Our NHS is the beating heart of this country. It is the best of this country. It is unconquerable. It is powered by love.” Lucky that it is powered by love as the person who said this, Johnson, clearly does not think it should be powered by adequate pay.It is worth remembering that this 1% comes after 10 years of pay constraint and freezes for NHS staff. This is not a case of "oh well, its just that it is particularly tough to fund things this year". This is a case of "we've been screwing the NHS workers for 10 years, so just when they pretty much save the country we will really put the boot in".Back when recovering from Covid, our lovely and (un)generous prime minister made a point of singling out two of his intensive care nurses by name, Luis Pitarma and Jenny McGee, whose courage, devotion and duty left him struggling “to find words to express my debt”. He could not find the words back then. He will not find the funds now. Actually, he can find funds for lots of stuff just not the NHS.

Alan Clark ● 2061d

Glad to hear you can handle your drink,Steve.I do wonder sometimes.

Keith Iddon ● 2061d

Wish Led by Donkeys would post those comments all round the country.

Vivienne Cox ● 2061d

Chris Whitty has warned 'significant numbers' of people will still die from coronavirus later this year if lockdown is relaxed too quickly.  Yet some people are putting businesses first and expecting grossly underpaid nursing  staff to just get on with it and save us!!  Hopefully Chris Whitty will convice some of these greedy people who put money before life!

Steve Taylor ● 2058d

I thought that the government would now be rolling in new funding for the NHS. I thought that the promise was an extra £18bn a year that would be provided, but can't remember where that £350m a week figure was going to come from though... however it seemed like such a clear promise from some called Johnson.

Alan Clark ● 2057d

Hi Alan, those promises were before the pandemic and 220 million wenton the Knightingale Hospitals, do think N.H.S workers deserve more andhopefully in the future things will improve but otherwise where will th extra come from right now.

Janice Evans ● 2057d

Johnson waiting for the independent pay review which is right, the NHS had hoped for 2.1% so I reckon that will be the figure an increase on the overall payroll bill so over a billion pounds. Let’s hope the frontline workers get a larger % and not management.

Jayne Thorburn ● 2057d

Not necessary to wait for a pay review. An immediate increase on alcohol duty will do the trick. Of course we won’t mention that the billions wasted on the failed track and trace headed by serial failure Dido Harding, would reportedly be sufficient to fund a 15% increase for every NHS member of staff plus a £14,000 bonus. In the meantime buckle in for the long ride as more Covid cases reported and, sadly, hundreds of deaths. The lockdown must remain until everyone has had their two shots of vaccine. Stay home. protect the NHS, save lives.

Steve Taylor ● 2057d

Excellent. You called them ‘promises’. They were obviously not promises, they were lies. But you fell for those lies. So you perceived them as promises. And voted accordingly. Not bright.And you adhere to the pandemic excuse : anything claimed before Feb 2020 can be ducked because of Covid. Convenient, no? But surely it should have been extra money that was ring-fenced for the NHS. Every year after Brexit, not just the first year. That was the promise; see above. Covid or no Covid. On a bus. You believed it.Sorry. Your excuses are not crédible.

Alan Clark ● 2057d

"An immediate increase on alcohol duty will do the trick."Yes, at a time when pubs, restaurants and other hospitality venues are unable to open, and many may never do so, that is a brilliant idea, quite up to your usual standards. You really revel in being silly, don't you ?

Richard Greenhough ● 2056d

Alcohol sales in supermarkets and off-licences and online shopping from  wine merchants has rocketed since the pandemic and distilleries etc are making a small fortune. Never a better time to increase duty to fund the NHS.  Hopefully though, some people will see the light and reduce their boozing to save families, mental health, wife bashing and all the evils associated with alcohol. Doubt it though. The boozers will continue to booze, no matter the cost.

Steve Taylor ● 2056d

You called them promises, if you think people vote on promises you are very wrong, that's why I would prefer there was no agenda as too many people take notice of them.

Janice Evans ● 2056d

So, ‘Vote for Us: We’ll Do Whatever We Like’. Tories might as well have said that.

Vivienne Cox ● 2056d

While there might be a case for increasing duty on alcohol sales from supermarkets and other non-licensed premises, a blanket increase would put even more pubs and restaurants out of business. I doubt that the surviving traditional breweries are "making a small fortune" out of the pandemic. You may know a few people suffering from "mental health, wife bashing and all the evils associated with alcohol" but to penalise those of us who like the occasional social drink without becoming "boozers", and in the process put many people in the licensed trade out of work, would be totally silly. "Never a better time to increase duty to fund the NHS."Also, in case you hadn't noticed, the Treasury does not ring-fence specific sources of income for specific types of expenditure, so any duty increase would just go into the general pot.

Richard Greenhough ● 2056d

That's what they all do isn't it.

Janice Evans ● 2056d

However I think they will get more pay eventually, hopefully.

Janice Evans ● 2056d

I don't think at the last election anyone was factoring a global pandemic into their spending plans.

Richard Greenhough ● 2056d

Well considering one was expected at some time and we had already seen other SARS viruses (which was why the scientists were so quick in coming up with vaccines as soon as they got the sequencing), better preparation should have been made.  I understood even Cummings had warned them (or said he had).https://www.health.org.uk/news-and-comment/charts-and-infographics/thinking-local-and-global-exploring-the-uks-reliance-on-international-nurses

Philippa Bond ● 2056d

Absolutely correct Philippa. All responsible governments should be constantly preparing for pandemics. These are not new. They have been around for thousands of years and they will continue to plague life on this planet until humans wipe us all out.

Steve Taylor ● 2055d

This is the worst pandemic to seriously affect the UK in just over a century. Any government that regularly diverted large sums of money in preparation for such infrequent events would probably not last long.

Richard Greenhough ● 2055d

Don't think it would work the next elected Government would spend it.More health checks on travel would be good for those leaving and arriving.

Janice Evans ● 2055d