Nurses want a budget that 'realistically supports recovery from the pandemic'
The NHS in England is to receive an extra £5.9bn in today's Budget, the government has announced
Earlier this week it was announced that the NHS in England is to receive an extra £5.9bn in today's budget.
The money will be used to help clear the backlog of people waiting for tests and scans, which has grown worse because of the pandemic.
It will also be used to buy equipment and improve IT.
However, nurses at the Royal College of Nursing say funding alone isn't enough to tackle the problems they are facing.
Dr Stephanie Aiken, Operations Manager at Royal College of Nursing for Yorkshire and the Humber, said:
"We know that many of our nursing staff are thinking of leaving the profession and they are angry that they are told that it continues to be sustainable in the NHS, and that what they're facing through the next winter is still something that's sustainable, when clearly it's not.
"We want a specific commitment from this government to address the staffing shortages in the health and care workforce and to demonstrate that they recognise the value and contribution of that workforce."
She tells us the group are campaigning for a 12.5% percent increase in pay for all nursing staff, saying it truly reflects the skill and professionalism they display and have displayed during the pandemic.
"Our nursing workforce is under staffed and over stretched. We need to see that they are political decisions about how our money is spent and that we invest in our current and future health of our nation."