A campaign is calling for a 12.5% pay rise for nurses across the UK to recognise their skills and address a “staffing crisis”.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) says the boost is not just about recognising the contribution of the workforce to covid-19 but also encouraging more people into the profession.

It wants to “raise the bar” with an immediate pay rise for NHS nursing staff across the UK, which will also benefit those working for independent employers.

The ‘Fair Pay for Nursing’ campaign aims to secure a one-year deal which would see a 12.5% increase for all staff covered by Agenda for Change, applying equally to all bands.

A commitment from the UK government to this pay rise would enable money to be released through devolved funding arrangements, it says. 

Dame Donna Kinnair, RCN Chief Executive and General Secretary, said: “This is about more than the profession’s response to covid-19 – it is about increasing the attractiveness of the profession, to fill tens of thousands of unfilled nursing jobs and reach safe staffing levels.

“It is time to pay nursing staff fairly.”

The RCN says before the pandemic there were over 3,600 nursing and midwifery vacancies within the NHS in Scotland – affecting the “safety of patients as well as morale and well-being in the nursing profession”.

A recent survey highlighted the toll of the pandemic on nurses, with concerns over longer hours, more stress and fewer staff.

Norman Provan, Associate Director, RCN Scotland added: “The nursing profession has been in the spotlight like never before but if Scotland is going to retain and attract the workforce it needs nursing staff must be paid fairly for the work that they do.

“Through this campaign we will put pressure on the UK and Scottish governments to stop claiming to value nursing staff and actually demonstrate it.”  

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