Decent Pay Rise For NHS Staff

Dear constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the extraordinary work of NHS staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. I support calls for the Government to recognise and reward them with a guarantee of a decent pay rise.

NHS staff have been at the heart of the fight against coronavirus, working day and night to protect our NHS and save lives. They do so much to make our health service one to be proud of and they deserve our respect, admiration, and full support.

I share the disappointment felt by many in our constituency that the Government has recommended a 1% pay increase. With inflation set to rise to this year, it represents a real-terms pay cut for many NHS workers, including nurses, health visitors and clinical staff.

Last year, the Health Secretary brought forward legislation to put into law the NHS Long Term Plan. That plan was based on a 2.1% pay rise for all NHS staff and it was voted for by Government MPs. Indeed, the Chief Executive of NHS England confirmed that health workers had been in line for a 2.1% pay rise before the pandemic.

Yet Ministers are now proposing a real-terms pay cut.

The Royal College of Nursing has criticised the offer and said it undervalues those who have been on the frontline responding to the pandemic.

I will continue to make the case for a better deal. The Government should recognise and reward the bravery and sacrifices of all NHS staff with a guarantee of a decent pay rise.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP