'We give so much yet we feel so undervalued': Nurse expresses 'pain' of stagnant income for 20 years

25 November 2022, 17:07

Nurse complains the NHS pay structure 'doesn't value' its workers 'as people'

Madeleine Wilson

By Madeleine Wilson

This nurse tells Shelagh Fogarty that low pay at the NHS has meant he "can't afford to save for a mortgage" after five years of living in his house.

This nurse told Shelagh Fogarty that despite his support of those that are striking, he would be taking the "moral high ground".

It comes as NHS nurses in the UK are to hold two days of strike action next month in a dramatic escalation of the pay row raging across the NHS.

The RCN said it will announce which particular NHS employers will be striking next week when formal notifications are submitted.

They said the economic argument for paying nursing staff fairly was clear when billions of pounds were being spent on agency staff to plug workforce gaps.

It added that in the last year 25,000 nursing staff around the UK left the Nursing and Midwifery Council register, with poor pay contributing to staff shortages across the UK.

It warned this was affecting patient safety.

READ MORE: 'I'm at breaking point': Nurses share why they're striking ahead of walkout

The nurse told Shelagh: "If I tell you my pay from when I qualified to what I am earning today, it is a £1500 difference. That is 20 years of continuous NHS practice."

The nurse went on to say: "I can't afford to get a mortgage.

"I've lived in my house for five years...I can't afford to save for a mortgage."

Empathising with the nurse, Shelagh said: "And yet your rental history and career qualifications and working life should be enough to get a mortgage."

Keir Starmer says nurse strike is a ‘badge of shame’ for government on visit to Birmingham

The caller told Shelagh that after their shift his colleagues who are also struggling would be attending the food bank.

Shelagh asked: "So you voted in favour of the strikes did you, but you won't actually enact it personally?"

The nurse said: No I won't enact it because it will be shut down and nothing will happen."

He later urged: "We give so much yet we feel so undervalued.

"We feel so unappreciated by the system.

"I don't want to be political but it's so painful Shelagh."

Shelagh said: "I'm afraid everything is political at some point."

More Shelagh Fogarty News

See more More Shelagh Fogarty News

The Princess of Wales says she edited the photograph that was released to mark Mother's Day.

The insistence that we see Kate is tantamount to stalking, writes Shelagh Fogarty

Caller tells Shelagh his solution to illegal immigration.

LBC caller tells Shelagh Fogarty that the Channel islands are the answer to 'illegal immigration'

'Rishi Sunak chooses to do the self interested party politics': Shelagh Fogarty reflects on Tories' immigration policies

'Rishi Sunak chooses to do the self-interested party politics': Shelagh Fogarty reflects on Tories' migration policies

Shelagh Fogarty

Former Treasury official outlines 'three immediate priorities' likely to be reflected in Autumn Statement

Shelagh Fogarty

Suella Braverman's hardline crime bill seems like she's ‘interviewing' for career at ‘pathetic’ news channels, says caller

Shelagh and caller Sam

Anti-Semitic chants and actions 'delegitimize' pro-Palestinian cause asserts this Shelagh Fogarty caller

Shelagh and Ricardo Dos Santos

'It's sickening': Ricardo Dos Santos speaks to Shelagh Fogarty as two officers sacked over stop and search

Shelagh

Rishi Sunak has 'failed monumentally' to 'humanise' both sides of the Israel-Hamas conflict says Israel expert

Shelagh and Callum

Twitter is a 'particularly dangerous' place to get information now says the Centre for Countering Digital Hate

Shelagh and caller Simon

LBC caller details 'disgusting anti-Semitic' act he witnessed, as hate crimes rise in fall out of Israel-Hamas war

Sister of missing Israeli woman

'We hope she's hiding somewhere': Sister of missing Israeli festival goer fears she is being held hostage by Hamas

Distraught caller on Israel-Gaza conflict.

'This is a war against Hamas!': Distraught caller wants Israel and Palestine to take down the 'enemy' together

Shelagh and Alicia Kearns

Head of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee expresses concern over Israeli 'siege of Gaza'

Shelagh Fogarty caller on facial recognition.

This caller lacks 'trust' in the government's handling of the AI facial recognition debate

Shelagh condemns PM's comments on 'dignity' of the elderly.

'He painted a picture of a Britain that the Conservatives meant to build...': Shelagh Fogarty condemns PM's suggestion that elderly have 'dignity'

Shelagh Fogarty on Jenrick

'We're full aren't we?': Shelagh questions Robert Jenrick's motive behind encouraging Brits to increase birth rate