McGrath backs above inflation pay rise for nurses
South Down SDLP MLA Colin McGrath has expressed his concern at the continued lack of pay parity for nursing staff, saying that they have been failed for over a decade.
The SDLP Health spokesperson has said: “The SDLP support an above inflation pay rise for our nursing staff, but the issue of pay parity for our nursing staff is not new.
“Since 2012, healthcare staff from across the UK have been failed by numerous Tory administrations.
“There has been more than a decade of pay erosion. However, the greatest hardship has been felt here in the North and we have reached a perilous point.
“As an example, in 2022, Band 5 entry-level staff salary on average was £25,655, which was the same as it was in 2021.
But, once inflation was taken into account, the real Band 5 entry-level staff salary was actually closer to £23,269, leaving them over £2,000 worse off.
“Had Band 5 entry-level staff been paid in line with inflation, their salary should have been closer to £28,041.
“We see similar figures across nursing bands since 2012.
“This is only one example, but underlines how the Health Service has been failed over the last 13 years.
“They have been failed by continued cuts from the British government, and successive Northern Ireland Health Ministers, who were either unwilling or unable to take the hard decisions and pay health woirkers a fair wage.
“And they wdid not address the myriad of other issues in the Health Service such as safe staffing levels and safe working conditions.”
Colin McGrath added: “Meanwhile, the British government previously stood outside clapping for healthcare staff, now they want to impose sanctions on nurses’ ability to take industrial action.
“This is a colossal step back in time.
“As our party’s Health Spokesperson, I have been working closely with the sector to identify the pressures they are facing, and how the Department of Health must respond to these in the absence of an Assembly and Executive.
“However, the SDLP wants to see the restoration of the Assembly and the Executive as soon as possible.
“We want to provide an informed, effective and coherent voice of opposition that will hold a future Health Minister to account for how nursing staff are treated, and see the essential transformation of our Health Service.
“This begins with a fair pay award for staff.
“Better outcomes for nursing staff will mean better outcomes for public health. We in the SDLP know the sacrifices our healthcare staff have made, particularly over the last 13 years.
“Our message to our nurses is simple: ‘we stand with you and for you‘. We have never wavered on this and we never will. Whether on the picket lines, or in the halls of government, the SDLP is here for you.
“It is time those parties in government reformed the Executive and started to deliver for our nursing staff,” said Colin McGrath.
