Sorry. Just looked back over it and there was 1 of the last 14 that I didn’t get a “cost of living” increase. Still got an incremental raise though. That said, most of those raises were 1% (one time less). Got 4% this year which was decent at my wage. Still had a technical pay rise each year.
None whatsoever mate....the man's a complete idiot. Said the NHS problems were due to Covid,when it's patently obvious to anyone with a smattering of grey cells,it's under investment over several decades that's at the root.....particularly when,during that time,we've had a totally uncontrolled flow of additional people into the country requiring the services. It's absolute incompetence on a scale that beggars belief. It's my view that the Nurses and Ambulance staff are not really striking about pay.....although there are some who have not been fairly treated.....it's more about the working conditions they're being placed under. They may say..I want more money to deal with this ****..and who can blame them for that....but,it isn't ultimately going to solve the problem.
Is being an MP the only top job where you don’t need any qualifications at all? Does that mean we could be run by the thickest set of numpties in the country?
And we are being....and have been for decades....make no mistake! None of these people have any skills in the department they're in charge of....they're there purely as a result of their propensity to further their own future.
And this is it. I back them100%. Based exact on this. The wage is shocking fir the work they have to do, fir what they go through in their jobs. I used to answer 111 calls and often listened in to 999 calls. Those guys are on £18-20k fir that job. One lass, around 20 years old, literally had to tell a mother to leave her baby as there was nothing she could do. The baby had stopped breathing and suffered cot death. How can you be expected to deal with that on £18k man? nurses are on a lot more than that and have to deal with the same things face to face, still underpaid.
There's an argument to be had that we as the electorate have caused this mind. Mindlessly voting for red or blue allows the standards to drop. That a donkey wearing the right colour rosette would get into a safe seat is a cliche, but it's true. Then there's the party system which allows sixth formers to disappear into the machinery, reappearing as a parliamentary candidate without ever having to be anywhere near the real world, and then we wonder why they haven't got a clue.
I think the media , as usual , distort everything. I have sympathy for the nurses and understand some may be struggling - but as are some of the workers from all types of jobs. Media talk to one nurse who goes to a food bank. and we’re led to believe from their headlines that all nurses do so .
Listen to James O'brien (link above) if you can... I managed 5 or so minutes of the 8 minutes, but got the point.
I listened to it all of that and I thought it was me sat there, Barclay has to be one of the most revolting humans in Britain at the moment. I believe his life in the government will be short.
On the point of joining up it is worth looking at uni entrants. In 21 it was the biggest ever number to enter a nursing degree, maybe all allied health degrees. That was felt to be the pandemic effect, and the huge level of support for the NHS across the country. In 22 there was a year on year drop of around 8% I think it was. I believe I am right in saying nursing students get significant financial support whilst studying. These are in the form of bursaries they dont have to pay back. I think it is around £5k a year. Might also apply to other medical courses too, not sure. They still have tuition fees like everyone else, but can get the loan like everyone else and pay back once they earn a certain amount. Compared with other professions it is an attractive degree to take on, and I am happy it is personally. I would go much further for nurses in particular. I would make their tuition fee loan non-repayable, so long as they stay in the profession, or a related profession earning the same level of pay. It wouldnt be right for them to get a free degree, then cross train to earn double the money. It might be one way of attracting students to nursing and keeping them. I will write to my MP about this I think. Anyway, none of this helps those in the profession now. Hope they get a deal that is worthwhile for them soon.
The situation used to be that student nurses got free training and a bursary while studying. This was to reflect the fact that while training they were actually working on the wards, which still happens and means that they can not get part time jobs to help pay the bills. We should go back to the old bursary system, it worked well.
Whilst I get what he’s saying, a lot of nurses and Union people are not using it as a starting point they’re asking for 19% end of story. He’s completely right about the government refusing to discuss it mind. Typical torrid. Privatised by 2025 I reckon
Someone earning the same money as an office dweller has a much easier job, simple as that ... ... I couldn't do what they do for twice the money.
Agree mate. The whole area of tuition fees needs looking at, a blanket approach is not appropriate. We need to reflect upon what the career path afterwards is and charge according to that.
I lived in a shared house several years ago with 3 nurses. I work in an office and was earning around parity with them at the time. I'd sometimes come home having had a stressful day, feeling the pressure and be pissed off. It was usually put into perspective when one of the nurses would come in after a long shift where they'd dealt with a car crash, young adults in intensive care who's lives were effectively over etc. And they had to treat them and deal with the families all whilst having compassion, being friendly and staying professional. I wouldn't do that job for £100k a year. They have my complete and utter respect. Genuine heroes.
