Better pay key to solving NHS staffing crisis

Ministers must do their bit and put NHS pay right



Commenting on the NHS Reality Check report published today (Wednesday) by NHS Providers, looking at the pressures facing trusts as they struggle to provide patient care, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“Shortages of staff across the NHS are nothing new. But the pandemic has taken the stress and strain caused by huge vacancy rates to a whole new level.

“Without more midwives, porters, healthcare assistants, paramedics, nurses and other health workers crucial to the NHS, delays to patient treatment, long waits for ambulances and cancelled operations will remain the norm.

“Better pay could stop experienced staff leaving for jobs in hospitality and retail where wages are higher and the work much less stressful.

“The government really should help resolve these shortages. With the pay review body due to hand over its evidence this week, ministers must do their bit and put NHS pay right.

“Otherwise, the staffing crisis continues, and more ​people will be ​anxiously waiting in pain for treatment.”

Notes to editors:
-UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.