PRESS RELEASE : Royal College of Nursing responds to Transport Secretary’s comments that public sector pay rises in line with inflation are “unaffordable” [November 2022]

The press release issued by the RCN on 27 November 2022.

Responding to comments from Transport Secretary Mark Harper that public sector pay rises in line with inflation are “unaffordable”, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said:

“While billions of pounds is being spent on temporary measures like agency staff to stick a plaster on the NHS workforce crisis, we are told a pay rise for nursing staff is unaffordable.

“With 47,000 nurse vacancies in England’s NHS alone, a pay rise for nurses isn’t just about fair pay – it’s about retaining and recruiting enough nurses to safely care for patients.

“Strike action is always a last resort but for too long we have been ignored. Nursing staff won’t stand by while their patients are put in harm’s way – they are doing this for themselves and for their patients.”