Randerson Demands Fair Pay for Welsh Nurses

11.13.26am GMT Wed 14th Mar 2007

The Scottish Executive has taken action to ensure that Nurses will receive the fully recommended pay rise for Nurses of 2.5% on 1st April. Gordon Brown announced that the pay rise offer would be 1.5% in April and 1% in November.

Jenny Randerson AM, Health Spokesperson for the Welsh Liberal Democrats said: "While I am sure that nurses in Wales will be pleased for their Scottish colleagues I can't help wondering why Wales can't manage the same. For every £100 earned by nurses in Scotland from April 1, their colleagues in Wales will receive £99.02, for the same work.

"Nurses are being asked to do more and more in the NHS and it is difficult to retain and recruit nurses. Delaying their pay rise is a cheap way for Gordon Brown to save a few pennies, but will do nothing to boost morale in the sector.

"24% of Nurses in Wales are still not paid through 'Agenda for Change' so this is rubbing salt into the wounds."

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