‘Nurses are finally getting the recognition they deserve’

In a historic move, the government has agreed with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) a review of nurses’ roles with an aim to ensure their pay reflects their duties. This will mean a potential pay increase for nurses delivering patient care on the frontline. 

In the announcement, the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said: “Too many nurses have been working at a higher level without being paid fairly for it.”

Wes Streeting has committed to ensuring “a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work for nurses”. 

These changes are incredibly significant as they have the potential to uplift the pay for a number of experienced nurses working above their pay band. 

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The NHS Staff Council has been asked to “prioritise increasing graduate pay” in its planned review of the Agenda for Change pay structure, which the government last year agreed to “back [with] a funded mandate”. 

As a nurse myself – working as a band five bank nurse – this announcement is the boost the profession needs, especially given we have felt very left behind regarding pay awards when compared to resident doctors. 

The thorny issue for nurses has always been the band five pay band, which essentially clumps newly qualified nurses and experienced nurses together, with many staying as band five until retirement. 

Previously these experienced nurses would have transitioned  to becoming “sisters” and “charge nurses” – titles that to this day still hold significant pride for nurses. 

The potential to now become a band six also means a change of uniform – it may seem old fashioned but uniform colours matter to nurses and stepping out into a ‘navy uniform’ is a pinnacle moment for a nurse and should not be underestimated.

For too long we have had experienced nurses stuck at band five when they are working way above and beyond their pay band and they deserve to be uplifted to band six and have the uniform to go with it too. Yes, the option of having a pay uplift is welcome, but actually this is about nurses finally getting the respect and support they so desperately need and the potential symbolism of a different coloured uniform matters.

In addition, the DHSC announced the launch of a national nursing “preceptorship”, where newly registered nurses will be “guided by an experienced practitioner” with more help to progress.

The package of reforms agreed with the RCN was announced last week; sadly, it did not have the coverage it deserved. 

However, where it matters Wes Streeting cut through and he was the talk of the nurses station yesterday.

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Nurses finally felt hope after 14 years of a Conservative government that removed the student bursary and failed, repeatedly, to listen to nurses’ concerns.

Already, HR directors at NHS organisations have been made aware of the announcements, and, given nurses are their largest group of employees, they can’t afford to delay. 

Fortunately, funding has been made available, and given the ongoing challenges of nurse retention, this must be a welcome announcement.

Take a scroll through nurses on Tik Tok and it’s flooded with videos of proud nurses showing off their new uniforms following promotion to band six.

Politically, announcements like this will cut  through to the public and show a Labour government cares about nurses and is doing what it promised – delivering change.

We currently have only 3 Labour MPs who are nurses and given all the noise around selections recently the party needs to now focus on ensuring the profession is reflected like it did for doctors and military personnel.

More importantly I hope these announcements will encourage more nurses to consider joining the party, standing for office and maybe just maybe we can have more nurses in parliament – we are after all the most trusted profession.

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