A petition calling for the end to pay restraint for Nurses and support staff has reached it’s target and is set to be debated in parliament.
The petition, which was set up by Registered Nurse and campaigner Danielle Tiplady in October 2016, has now been signed by over 100,000 people meaning parliament will have to consider holding a debate on the topic.
When a petition set up on the government site has 100,000 signatures it will be considered for debate in parliament – the debate is scheduled for the 30th of January 2017.
The Department of Health has already responded in writing to the petition following surpassing the interim goal of 10,000 signatures last year. But the reply was criticised by Nurses as using patient care as an excuse for pay restraint.
“There is a trade-off between pay and jobs in many public services, and pay restraint is one of the many difficult choices the government has had to make,” said the Department of Health in the autumn statement.
In the petition introduction it explains that Agenda for Change staff including nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants, have “suffered a pay restraint” since 2010. “Losing around 14% in real terms of their pay, staff are struggling nationwide and many have been pushed into poverty,” she said. “The impact of the pay restraint is harsh,” she said. “Many are sadly leaving the professions they love. There is an NHS staff crisis.”
The petition surpassed its goal on the same day that the possibility of further NHS cuts and job losses are revealed.