News

NHS's only nurses with no pay offer 'are being left to sink'

With no revised offer and MPs reporting there are no funds for a rise, nurses in Northern Ireland are no closer to a pay deal and may be forced to strike
Striking nurses outside the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast: nurses in Northern Ireland are no closer to a pay deal and may be forced to strike

With no revised offer and MPs reporting there are no funds for a rise, nurses in Northern Ireland are no closer to a pay deal and may be forced to strike

Photo of striking nurses waving flags and holding placards outside the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast
Striking nurses outside the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast Picture: Alamy

Nurses in Northern Ireland have been left to ‘sink in a complete mess’ and cannot rule out further strike action.

Nurses left in limbo as RCN seeks clarification on pay deal

RCN Northern Ireland has again called for pay clarity for nurses in the country who remain the only ones in the UK without a revised offer. But the Department of Health (DoH) for Northern Ireland has confirmed there is no budget for 2023-24 in place to fund nurses’ pay.

Nurses in the country voted down a delayed pay offer of 4% in December last year, and following failed talks between health unions and the secretary of state for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris last week are still no closer to a pay deal.

RCN Northern Ireland had called for clarity on whether the revised pay offer for NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts in England will apply there, as the country does not have a functioning government.

But following RCN England’s rejection of the new pay offer, RCN Northern Ireland has not ruled out further strikes of its own.

Nurses feel they have been ‘left to sink in a complete mess’

An RCN Northern Ireland board spokesperson said: ‘There is no doubt that nursing staff are angry and frustrated at the absence of any pay offer for Northern Ireland.

‘We are making it clear that nothing is off the table and that nursing staff in Northern Ireland may also be forced to take this action if we do not get a pay offer soon.

‘It is deeply distressing that three years after local, elected politicians promised that we would never fall out of pay parity again, that this is a very real prospect. We have no one to advocate for nursing staff and patients in Northern Ireland. Quite simply we have been left to sink in what is a complete mess.’

Nurses in England will walk out for 48 hours from 8pm on 30 April to 8pm on 2 May after rejecting a revised offer of 5% for 2023-24 and a one-off payment of between £1,655 and £3,789 for 2022-23.

Meanwhile, nurses in Northern Ireland are waiting for clarification from Mr Heaton-Harris on whether the government will provide funding for a better pay offer.

Discussions are ongoing, says Department of Health

A DoH spokesperson said it is awaiting clarity on UK government funding for a new pay offer.

‘The department fully understands the frustrations of staff and the severe challenges they have been working under,’ they added.

‘Trade unions are engaged in ongoing discussions with the secretary of state. The DoH is involved in these discussions and will continue to pursue every available avenue to secure a resolution.’

The Northern Ireland Office and HM Treasury has been contacted for comment.


In other news

Jobs