Rishi Sunak told to increase nurses’ pay while on hospital visit

Rishi Sunak has been challenged over falling real-terms nurses’ pay on a hospital visit, ahead of threatened strike action later this year.A patient was heard telling the new prime minister he must ‘try harder’ – after nurses were handed a 3 per cent pay rise, way short of the 10.1 per cent inflation rate.’You need to pay them,’ the patient said. When Mr Sunak said his government was trying,’ she told him: ‘You are not trying, you need to try harder.’But Mr Sunak ignored the patient, telling broadcasters: ‘It is brilliant to be here at Croydon Hospital, to see the great work of the doctors and nurses here.’The challenge came as he ripped up a widely-ridiculed Tory leadership campaign plan to fine patients who miss GP and hospital appointments.’We have listened to GPs and health leaders, and have acknowledged that now is not the right time to take this policy forward,’ a No 10 spokeswoman said.Unions, including the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Unison, are urging their members to vote for strike action over the government’s below-inflation pay awards for 2022-23.In England and Wales, most nurses were given a £1,400 pay rise, equivalent to 3 per cent and in line with the recommendations of the NHS Pay Review Body, in the summer.In July, as he fought Liz Truss for the Conservative leadership, Mr Sunak argued patients failing to turn up and ‘taking those slots away from people who need’ them should be punished.But the British Medical Association (BMA) said the idea would ‘make matters worse’ and threaten the principle of free NHS care at the point of need.more to follow