NHS Pay Cap Victory!

Hardworking NHS workers are about to get a much deserved pay rise. For years nurses, paramedics and other NHS workers pay has barely risen – all because of the unfair public sector pay cap. [1] But the government has this week agreed a deal giving over one million NHS staff a pay rise. [2]

38 Degrees members played a part in making this happen. More than 270,000 signed the petition, and thousands more emailed their MP to end the public sector pay cap. And on Wednesday finally the news was announced. [3]

This is great news for the people who work hard to keep our NHS running. But, there’s still a lot to do. We’ve just come out of the “worst ever” NHS winter crisis and just this week the government dropped their promise to patients on waiting times this year. [4]

Sometimes the task of sorting out the NHS can feel overwhelming. But, this news brings hope – it shows that step by step, we can secure the NHS that we all want.

[1] The Independent: Public sector pay cap: NHS staff real income cut by almost two-thousand pounds over seven years of wage squeeze:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/public-sector-pay-cap-nhs-staff-real-incomes-cut-government-wage-freeze-gmb-union-a7959806.html
[2] BBC: NHS pay: Unions agree deal for 1.3 million staff:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-43481341
The Guardian: Lowest paid NHS staff may receive pay rise of up to 29% in new deal:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/mar/21/nhs-staff-65-pay-rise-deal-backed-by-healthcare-unions
[3] 38 Degrees: Scrap the Public Sector Pay Cap:
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/scrap-the-public-sector-pay-cap
[4] HSJ: NHS mandate confirms flagship waiting targets on hold:
https://www.hsj.co.uk/policy-and-regulation/nhs-mandate-confirms-flagship-waiting-targets-on-hold/7021989.article
The Sun: Jeremy Hunt admits the NHS has suffered its ‘worst ever’ winter amid record A&E wait times:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5532553/jeremy-hunt-admits-the-nhs-has-suffered-its-worst-ever-winter-amid-record-ae-wait-times/