Labour promises pay rises for NHS staff

[Northerner]

NHS staff will get higher pay and there will be no tuition fees for student nurses and midwives under a Labour government, the party is promising.

Labour said the policies would help address staffing shortages in England that had become a "threat to patients".

The promises mark the first of what are expected to be a series of policy announcements on the NHS by Labour.

But the Conservatives said Labour's nonsensical economic policies would put the health service at risk.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39711133

Investing in hard-working, dedicated staff and attracting new people into healthcare is not 'nonsensical', it makes perfect sense. How much might be saved longer-term, in both money and quality of life, if people have ready access to pre-emptive or early-stage care and treatments instead of constantly fire-fighting 'emergencies' and 'crises'? A happy, inspired workforce, instead of a demoralised, stressed, overworked and under-appreciated workforce? It's a no-brainer 🙄

 

[Rosiecarmel]

I hope this is actually feasible! It's ridiculous that the Conservative government have scrapped free tuition for student nurses and midwives. My university is struggling to fill places for the 2017 intake of student nurses due to this when usually the course is very over subscribed!

 

[Northerner]

I hope this is actually feasible! It's ridiculous that the Conservative government have scrapped free tuition for student nurses and midwives. My university is struggling to fill places for the 2017 intake of student nurses due to this when usually the course is very over subscribed!

According to the article:

"Jeremy Hunt said while the decision to cut bursaries for students was a "very difficult decision", it would free up funding to train more nurses - as applicants for courses currently outnumber the places available by two to one."

Which is patently nonsense, since applications are down by 23%!

https://www.thecanary.co/2017/04/26...hs-jeremy-hunt-proves-lives-different-planet/

 

[mikeyB]

Alternative facts, Northie. Get used to it.🙄

 

[grovesy]

Well the Labour Health Spokesman said they intend to get the money from Corporation Tax.

 

[mikeyB]

You folks must be waiting for me to say this - bursaries are still available in Scotland. And Wales, I think. It's just England who benefit from Jeremy Hunts fantasy accounting. I've yet to meet a nurse in a Scottish hospital who wasn't Scottish, though I'm sure some EU nurses do exist here, but they sure aren't common.