Paying front line NHS staff more

[Whatnameisgood]

I may be being really naive but if the government are worried about the NHS being overwhelmed why is pay not increasing to encourage recruitment? I appreciate there’s a time lag with training people but wouldn’t this, eg, encourage people back who took early retirement etc?

It's a skewed system for sure. I do tax returns for a consultant. The money he earns from NHS would blow your mind!

This government couldn't give a shit about increasing pay in any of the public sector - would take the line "don't like it leave" sadly.

Pleanty of people who took early retirement do come back and work Bank shifts in my experience.

It would be a long term plan but free training and bursaries for nurses would be a good start.
I wonder how many people realise that student nurses who are working long hours are not only unpaid but also have to pay tuition fees.

As for recruiting doctors one of the reasons medical school is so competitive is the limited number of places. This could be increased if government funded it.
And last but not least consultants who very few hours in the NHS. I can't find it now but one NHS trust (Midlands I think) was investigating consultants who have so far ignored the plea to come and help.

I’m frontline NHS caring for covid patients. More of us would be willing to work extra shifts if we were actually paid well for overtime. Our bank rates are less than our usual hourly rate! Just a few £ per hour extra and I would happily work extra during annual leave or days off, my colleagues say the same. So much red tape to go through to authorise something as simple as this though.

Very true @Fancymarmite when I worked in the NHS if you did a bank shift you got paid the bottom of your band as I recall🙄

This is happening in some areas. Where I work staff of all grades are being offered enhanced pay to do shifts as bedside nurses (even if not qualified nurses).

@Fancymarmite

I’m frontline NHS caring for covid patients. More of us would be willing to work extra shifts if we were actually paid well for overtime. Our bank rates are less than our usual hourly rate! Just a few £ per hour extra and I would happily work extra during annual leave or days off, my colleagues say the same. So much red tape to go through to authorise something as simple as this though.

My trust now pay 30% more for a bank shift since covid as they’re so desperate for people to do extras. Some weekends have been so bad as well as the extra 30% they’ve offered an extra £100 bonus per shift.

Must be costing them a fortune but without this I think they’d have had some wards without a single qualified nurse on shift.

We’re already using paramedics and the army.