Today, front-line NHS workers have marched to the Prime Minister’s home in Downing Street demanding pay justice after being let down by the government, especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
Demonstrators joined together outside St Thomas’ Hospital in London for the socially distanced event, before marching to No 10 where they conducted a number of important speeches.
The action came as a result of anger in the government’s decision to postpone a pay rise for NHS staff until April 2021.
This also comes following last week’s news that Chancellor Rishi Sunak will be awarding pay rises for 900,000 public-sector workers, including doctors, teachers and police officers, however, will offer no additional support to other key workers.
NHS annual figures have revealed that a Band 5 NHS nurse is over £6,000 worse off today than 10 years ago as the rate of pay fails to keep up with inflation. Additionally, a Royal College of Nursing survey this year found that 36% of respondents were now considering leaving the profession, and f these, 61% cited pay as the primary factor.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said they were incredibly grateful to the entire NHS and social care workforce for their hard work during the pandemic, and added that they: “will continue to ensure all staff are rewarded fairly.”
