General practice nurses continue to miss out on pay award
Posted 13 February 2024 - 14:27
Nursing leaders call on government to act over surgeries’ salary increases, as almost half of general practice nurses in RCN survey say they have received no award for last year
General practice nurses are being ‘short-changed’ as more than three quarters in a survey saying they have not received their full pay rise from last year.
An RCN survey found 77% of 1,500 respondents had not received all of the pay award agreed for 2023-24 – and almost half (44%) have not received any rise at all.
While staff on Agenda for Change (AfC) contracts will automatically receive any agreed pay increases, nurses in general practice do not. Instead, the government pays practices a lump sum and it is up to those employers whether the money passes to staff. As a result, some practices have paid the full 6% agreed, others have paid less and some nothing at all.
Nurses’ leaders call on ministers to ensure general practices have the money to fund pay rises
The RCN, the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) and Social Enterprise UK are calling on the government to step in to ensure every practice has adequate funding for the pay rise for staff who have been left feeling ‘undervalued and demoralised’.
‘The health and care system cannot afford to lose GPNs, who are likely to leave the profession if they feel they are not being paid fairly, at a time of steeply rising demand and growing complexity of care’
Crystal Oldman, chief executive, QNI
RCN England director Patricia Marquis said: ‘The government should be valuing the role nursing staff in primary care play, instead of leaving them short-changed. They keep communities healthy, detecting disease early, reducing hospital admissions, and preventing more patients from ending up at A&E.’
QNI chief executive Crystal Oldman added: ‘QNI strongly endorses the call to make pay increases for general practices nurses fair and transparent in line with the national pay increase in the NHS.
‘By leaving the decision to employers, an unequal situation has been created, with some nurses losing out. The health and care system as a whole cannot afford to lose GPNs, who are likely to leave the profession if they feel they are not being paid fairly, at a time of steeply rising demand and growing complexity of care.’
Primary care staff delivering NHS services often an afterthought in pay talks
The RCN has written to health and social care secretary Victoria Atkins to demand action and has submitted evidence on the issue ahead of the spring Budget.
Social Enterprise UK director Dan Gregory said that often staff working in primary care were treated as an afterthought in pay negotiations.
‘We remain extremely concerned that the government is not fulfilling its side of the deal to ensure all staff delivering NHS care are paid what they deserve,’ he said.
‘Our members and many others providing vital NHS care have too often been an afterthought in the unions’ negotiations with government, and we welcome the RCN’s call for the government to ensure every employer is properly funded to pay these hardworking front-line staff.’
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘We hugely value and appreciate the vital work carried out by general practice nurses.
‘The government accepted the doctors’ and dentists’ review body’s recommendation on salaried general practice staff pay and increased the 2023-24 GP contract to provide funding for them to receive a 6% pay rise. It is for GP practices to determine employee pay.’
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