Critics wanting aggressive approach to win more concessions are being unrealistic: RCN’s Josie Irwin

A rise of 6.5% over three years is not a panacea, but the offer is free of unpalatable demands, so RCN members will be encouraged to accept, says the college’s lead pay negotiator

The scrapping of the 1% pay cap shows that Jeremy Hunt has listened to nurses. But this does not mean the battle for fair pay is over, says RCN lead pay negotiator Josie Irwin.

Real progress would be scrapping the pay cap and sustained action to increase the availability of clinical placements and retain experienced nurses, says the RCN’s lead pay negotiator.

Despite the disappointment of another 1% recommendation by the review body, pressure is building on the government to Scrap the Cap. Stay engaged with the campaign - and resist the dangerous argument that the NHS must prioritise jobs over pay, says the RCN's lead pay negotiator Josie Irwin.

The parliamentary debate on NHS pay was secured by an online petition – proof of what can be achieved when nurses and their supporters take action, says the RCN’s chief pay negotiator Josie Irwin.

The 1% pay cap is causing low morale among nurses, has destabilised the workforce and is now putting patient care at risk, says the RCN’s lead pay negotiator.

If you ask any nurse why they chose this profession it is unlikely they will say it was because of the pay. They will almost certainly say they wanted to make a difference or give something back to society. Put simply, you can almost guarantee that they are not ‘in it for the money’.

According to a recent report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), two thirds of hospitals are offering substandard care, with one in ten hospitals, and a similar proportion of adult social care services, rated as inadequate on safety.