Petrol prices set a new record of 178.5p a litre yesterday, with diesel hitting a massive 185.2p a litre.
Community nurses and care workers are literally “paying to work” because of record fuel prices.
It comes as petrol prices set a new record of 178.5p a litre today, with diesel hitting a massive 185.2p a litre.
Those on NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) contracts can claim 56p per mile for the first 3,500 and just 20p per mile after this. With many community staff averaging more than 10,000 miles per year, most are being left significantly out of pocket.
A £60 per month ‘wear and tear’ payment to staff has also been cut.
Paying to work.
A snap poll of community nurses undertaken by NursingNotes earlier this year revealed the average community nurse or care worker is spending between £150 and £300 a month on fuel and only being reimbursed around half of this.
It comes at a time when the cost of living crisis is hitting many nurses hard due to a decade of real-terms pay cuts.
One NHS Community Nurse, who asked to remain anonymous, explained: “I use my own car for work and after 3,500 miles it’s literally costing me money to do my job.
“I average around 10,000 miles a year. Fuel prices have been steadily increasing yet NHS bosses are not taking this into account and raising our mileage allowance in relation to this.
“It’s yet another kick in the teeth.”
Sick and tired.
GMB is calling on the Government for an urgent review on the mileage allowance provisions.
Holly Turner, GMB Organiser, added, “We are campaigning for an immediate review of NHS Mileage Allowance for NHS community staff.
“We are sick and tired of our members not being valued and paid appropriately for their hard work and dedication.
“There hasn’t been an increase in this allowance for nearly eight years, whilst monthly ‘wear and tear’ payments have been axed.
“We’re calling on NHS employers to step up and stop selling our members short.”
