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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask band 5 nurses (at lower end of pay scale) how much you earn?

410 replies

Llbarls81 · 14/05/2015 14:16

I've just done a calculation as I'm due to qualify in September and I'm shocked at how little the pay is!! I've just worked out that a band 5 entry level nurse takes home around £1400 a month?? Surely this isn't right?

OP posts:
SqueezyCheeseWeasel · 14/05/2015 15:00

Article from Jan of this year but it is a debate that has been rumbling on for years and continues to do so. The advent of undiluted Tories makes it feel like it could become a reality, to me.

shouldnthavesaid · 14/05/2015 15:00

We were told we could be losing our shift allowance. I'm in Scotland, band 2 and get 7.70 an hour.

SqueezyCheeseWeasel · 14/05/2015 15:02
Angry
CrystalCove · 14/05/2015 16:01

I had no idea - terrible!

originalusernamefail · 14/05/2015 16:05

I'm top of band 5 and get 1800-2000 dependent on shift enhancements, so your calculations sound about right OP Sad.

yorkshapudding · 14/05/2015 16:59

You also have to keep in mind that your in your pension contribution, union fees and NMC registration fees will also make a fair bit of a dent in your pay. Definitely worth getting yourself on the bank if you're not already as even the occasional bank shift can really help to top up your pay.

MardyBra · 14/05/2015 17:01

Why is this in Aibu?

yorkshapudding · 14/05/2015 17:03

Apologies for all the typos in my last post, stupid predictive text.

Babyroobs · 14/05/2015 17:04

It is rubbish for the stress and responsibility that we have to take on board. I work part time mid band 5 and come out with about £1200. The past few months I have done a lot of overtime meaning full time hours and have come out with around £1600.

Libitina · 14/05/2015 17:05

Yes, the government wants to get rid of NHS wage enhancements.

6cats3gingerkittens · 14/05/2015 17:06

That's A very reasonable starting salary and it should be possible to live on it unless you have very expensive tastes. Newly qualified staff have to prove their worth in a variety of working environments and with all kinds of people before they can expect more rewards. Bite the bullet.

Wheretheresawill1 · 14/05/2015 17:13

I am band 6- 18m into the job; 6 yr post qualification. Forensic mental health. We lost our secure allowance about 2yrs ago so I earn less than I did as a band 5. Full time - work most weekends, student loan. Large amount of responsibility. Take home £1750. To those who think this is adequate I ask could you do the job- for what is involved I should earn 10k more. If they take unsocial hours away the majority of staff will leave and the Nhs will be no more. My pension was worth 24% it is now worth 13% yet my contributions have nearly doubled to 9.3%
I am here on my day off in bed utterly drained

Wheretheresawill1 · 14/05/2015 17:14

Bite the bullet ??? Dear god wtf???

Babyroobs · 14/05/2015 17:22

I agree Wheretheres a will - If they take away enhancements no-one will work the unsocial hours. I do a lot of nights ( usually around 6 or 7 a month) as well as day shifts mainly due to fitting around 4 kids. I am permanently knackered and my health is suffering. There is research that shows night shift work is linked to all kinds of health problems including cancer, miscarriage etc. Who on earth will take the risk if the extra pay goes too? My workplace already struggles to cover nightshifts as so many people once they get older just go to their GP and get signed off nights on the basis of their stress/ depression/ insomnia/ age etc.

ScrambedEggAndToast · 14/05/2015 17:23

It's just gone up by £200 a year Grin

UncertainSmile · 14/05/2015 17:25

I reckon the government will come after Agenda For Change next.

Spotifymuse · 14/05/2015 17:27

I'm a band 6 with a high level of responsibility/loan parent/unsocial hours/post grad qualifications.
Moaning about how poorly paid we are paid just drags you down. It's a decent wage, could be better but if you're in it for money you're in the wrong job.

SqueezyCheeseWeasel · 14/05/2015 17:32

Very expensive tastes?!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I'm laughing because that is clearly a joke post.

Retention rates in nursing are so appallingly low as a result of pay and conditions that your post couldn't be anything other than a joke.

Shift allowance/enhancements were brought in to help cover the difference of the higher cost of out of hours childcare and also as an inducement. Taking them away and saying "your job is 24/7, 365. Tough shit" will leave many working parents in the shit and will increase the number of nurses (and other shift working HCPs) voting with their feet. Not productive.

WestEast · 14/05/2015 17:32

I'm bottom band 5 on AfC and I get about £1300 after tax, pension, union and nmc fees. My next contract won't be on AfC and whilst it's the job I want to do I'm worried about losing the benefits.

Wheretheresawill1 · 14/05/2015 17:37

Its a caring profession but that doesn't mean I want to work for charity. I need a decent wage- at present I can't afford to buy a house and I'm nearly 40. Some people confuse the caring aspect with money. I care but I expect to be paid a decent amount to live without topping up to a 60hr week in order to pay for basics. At 40 I want more than a basic getting by sort of life

Wheretheresawill1 · 14/05/2015 17:38

Squeezy cheese- my thoughts also

Wheretheresawill1 · 14/05/2015 17:39

We have a high turnover of staff- how is that cost effective or good for patient care

UncertainSmile · 14/05/2015 17:39

It's a decent wage, could be better but if you're in it for money you're in the wrong job.

What are supposed to live on? The love of the patients?

SqueezyCheeseWeasel · 14/05/2015 17:40

It's not a case of doing it for the money (again HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA) but devaluing the skills, training and care given is a huge problem. By your sentiment, spotify, shouldn't we be doing this for free? Hmm. No, we still have mouths to feed, rent/mortgage/bills to pay.

Nursing skills are worth more than a pittance and how the living fuck the govt thinks it will meet the recommendations of the Francis report re ratios by making nursing pay and conditions every worse, is beyond me.