GMB, March 1, 2007 Responding to today's afternoon on NHS pay review Sharon Holder, GMB National Officer for the NHS said, "GMB welcomes the Government's decision to accept this year's pay review body recommendation for nurses and other health professions of 2.5%. GMB also welcomes the fact that the rewire body has maintained its integrity and independence. However, GMB is extremely disappointed at the Chancellor's decision to stagger awards across public sector departments. The affect of staggering this year's award in the NHS, means staff will only receive an aggregated award of around 2%. This is higher nonetheless than the Secretary of State, Patricia Hewitt, recommended on behalf of the Department of Health of 1.5%. ... Pay

Jon Land, 24Dash.com, March 1, 2007 The Government was on a collision course with public sector workers today after deciding that pay awards for nurses and other staff will be below the rate of inflation. It is understood that nurses and other health professionals will receive a rise of 1.5% in April and a further 1% in November, an annual increase of about 2%. Some union officials warned that the increase might trigger calls for industrial action in the NHS. Amicus said it understood the health sector's pay review body had recommended a rise of 2.5%, but the Treasury had decided that the rise should be staged. ... Unions

Press Association, February 21, 2007 Almost two-thirds of nurses would take industrial action if they received an unsatisfactory pay deal this year, according to a poll. Almost a third (29%) would consider quitting the NHS, with 16% leaving for the independent sector and 13% leaving altogether. More than 1,000 nurses responded to the survey for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). It found that half (51%) felt their morale was poor or quite poor, with several factors coming into play. Of those who have low morale, 76% blame their workload, 75% cite NHS financial problems and 62% mention job cuts. The independent review body is deciding how big a pay rise should be awarded to nurses in 2007/08. The Government has suggested a 1.5% pay deal, but this has caused anger among nurses. ... Nurses

Leeds Today, February 19, 2007 Newly qualified nurses say they may have to become bar staff – because the NHS in Leeds has no jobs for them. Around £30,000 of taxpayers' cash goes on training each new nurse through courses at Leeds University. But around 100 nurses due to qualify in August, say they have been told they have no prospect of working in city hospitals because of the NHS cash crisis. Instead many face working in the private sector, or taking a job outside the profession altogether. ... No

Metro, February 13, 2007 Newly-qualified nurses desperate for a job are working for free or below the minimum wage, it has emerged. The County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust and North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust are offering "honorary" preceptorship contracts to some nurses unable to secure other employment at the trust, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) confirmed. ... New

StaffNurse.com, February 8, 2007 Nurses’ leaders have responded to recent criticisms over the standard of care nurses provide. The Healthcare Commission’s ’Spotlight on Complaints’ report earlier this month found that seven per cent of patient complaints relate to nurses. Complaints about nutrition were the most common. Other complaints concerned staff attitudes and patient dignity. But Dr Peter Carter of the Royal College of Nursing feels strongly that nurses themselves are not to blame. ... Blame

Bridlington Today, February 8, 2007 Two leading trade unions have hit out at the 'outrageous' and 'unacceptable' plans to charge nurses to park at Bridlington Hospital. Unison has called the proposed fees 'a slap in the face' and Amicus said the idea was unacceptable and would lower staff morale. Dave Bannister, communications officer for Unison's branch which covers the hospitals in Bridlington and Scarborough, said the union would fight any issue it considered unfair to staff. ... Parking

Hugh Caffrey, The Socialist, February 7, 2007 Manchester - Around 250 mental health nurses took strike action on 31 January against cuts to jobs, services and the possible privatisation of four nursing teams. Nurses voted 9:1 for strike action, with a 95% solid strike with most nurses joining in the pickets and demonstration. Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust claims a big deficit but says the cuts won't affect services. But the deficit could be wiped out with a fraction of the money wasted on implementing the "Making it Better" cuts. And both staff and mental health patients are quite clear: "reorganisation" will mean a worse service. ... Manchester

Vincent Moss & Martyn Halle, Sunday Mirror, February 4, 2007 Hospitals are to be ordered to employ thousands of newly qualified nurses. The move marks a major U-turn after thousands of nursing jobs were axed to combat a £1billion cash shortfall. Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt is to agree a new deal with unions to help the 15,000 nurses who join the jobs market each year. The deal will also help hundreds of newly qualified physiotherapists to get work. But hospitals may be forced to find the cash from existing budgets. ... New

Manchester Evening News, January 31, 2007 Hundreds of mental health nurses in Manchester have gone out on strike in a protest over changes to the way patients are treated. More than 250 Unison union members at the Manchester Mental Health & Social Care trust have walked out over restructuring proposals which the union claims will see cuts in the number of nurses and occupational therapists. Union spokesman Bob Brown said the changes would result in the loss of 33 nurses and eight occupational health therapists. "Well attended" picket lines have been set up outside the trust's Chorlton House base and Manchester Royal Infirmary, Mr Brown said. ... Mental

Ed, libcom.org, January 31, 2007 250 employees of Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust will take their first day´s strike today, Wednesday January 31st. This follows a 91.6% ballot result in favour of strike action. The strike action will be taken by 250 community nurses, occupational therapists and team secretaries to stop the cuts in community mental health teams which include ... Manchester

Healthcare Republic, January 24, 2007 Dr Peter Carter, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is encouraged by Dr Cameron's pledge to guarantee a year's employment for newly qualified nurses. Dr Carter said: ‘All the evidence shows that patients benefit if we have enough nurses with enough time to do their jobs. Patients get fewer infections, have less falls and get better more quickly. That is why David Cameron's comments today on nurses are significant. ...' Nurses

Metro, January 23, 2007 Two nurses could face the sack after being caught taking Christmas cake donated to hospital staff. The pair have been accused of theft by hospital managers after CCTV footage showed them taking a trolley of cake from the accident and emergency department to their ward. The Unison union condemned the disciplinary investigation, saying it would be a waste of thousands of pounds. Unison officer Mike Walker said: 'We are talking about cake donated to all staff by the public. How can that be theft? They were simply taking the cake from casualty where it had been left for all staff.' ... Nurses

Nurses have been warned they could face the sack for taking cups of tea from ward trolleys. BBC News, December 29, 2006 Staff at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London, have also been told to buy their own tea bags, milk and sugar. A hospital spokesman said staff have been reminded hot drinks intended for hospital patients should not be taken. A spokeswoman for a nurses' union said: "I don't think patients would begrudge an overworked nurse a cup of tea." ... Nurses

Daily News & Analysis, December 29, 2006 London - Nurses from India working in hospitals in north Liverpool were recently attacked by racist thugs, leaving them terrified to move out of their flats, according to reports from Liverpool. Four blocks of flats in Falconhall Road, Fazakerley, where the nurses recruited by the National Health Service reside, have been attacked. The racist abuse hurled at the nurses is reported to be getting worse. ... Racists