Nurses ‘not taken seriously’ because profession is majority female, union boss says
Government warned nurses’ patience ‘will run out’ without pay rise
- The head of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), Professor Nicola Ranger, says that the nursing profession is undervalued and underpaid because it is 90 per cent female.
- Professor Ranger believes the government's healthcare reforms will fail without proper investment in nursing and a pay rise that reflects the profession's value.
- She has warned that nurses' patience “will run out” and hinted at possible strike action if the Government does not address their concerns.
- While acknowledging what she sees as Health Secretary Wes Streeting's good intentions, Professor Ranger says that sympathy is not enough, and concrete action is needed.
- The RCN is seeking structural change in nursing, including automatic progression from band five to six for junior nurses, in addition to a fair annual pay rise, she says.