Nurses hint at escalation if profession is left ‘ailing and underpaid’
Experts warned over unsafe staffing levels.
A top nurse has warned the Government should “not to sail too close to the wind” when it comes to announcing a pay deal and hinted that the situation could escalate if the profession is left “ailing and underpaid”.
At its annual congress in Liverpool, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) general secretary and chief executive Professor Nicola Ranger will call on ministers to “stop the dither and delay”.
She also warned that staffing levels are “dreadfully unsafe” and urged nurses not to accept corridor care as “the norm”.
The call from Prof Ranger, which will be made in a keynote speech to delegates on Monday, comes weeks after the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) recommended a pay rise of about 3% for nurses for the year 2025-26.
She said she will not tell nurses to strike, but warned the situation could escalate.
“In the NHS, your pay award was due six weeks ago,” Prof Ranger is expected to say.
“Government should stop the dither and delay and make the announcements.
“It has now been a whole month since the Pay Review Body gave its report and recommendations to Government but still no news.
