Scottish nursing union 'in dispute' over pay

The RCN said the Scottish government has relied on the good will of nursing staff for too long

A nursing union has lodged a formal trade dispute with the Scottish government for the first time in a row over pay.

The Royal College of Nursing in Scotland said staff were exhausted, with worrying numbers considering leaving the profession.

In May, the Scottish government confirmed an NHS pay deal that will see most workers receive a 4% rise.

The RCN union said the single-year deal was imposed despite its rejection.

It said the deal fell "far short" of the RCN's call for a significant pay rise that applies equally across all bands.

• Most NHS Scotland staff to receive 4% pay rise

• Nursing union urges members to reject 4% pay offer

The RCN has been calling for a 12.5% pay increase in recognition of the need to fill posts and the complexity and responsibility of the job.

In a letter to Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, the RCN's Julie Lamberth wrote that members had "serious concerns" about recruitment and retention of the nursing workforce in Scotland.

Ms Lamberth said: "The Scottish government has relied on the good will of nursing staff for too long."

She added: "Every patient needs and deserves the best quality of care, this can only be safely achieved with the right number of nursing staff with the right skills and expertise."

'Voices ignored'

The trade dispute is a formal expression of nurses' frustration, she said.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said the notification from the RCN was "disappointing" but he looked forward to continuing to engage with them.

He said that a clear majority of unions, representing most NHS staff, had accepted the pay deal.

"This 4% increase stands in stark contrast to the paltry 1% on the table from the UK government for nurses in England," Mr Yousaf said.

The health secretary said he was happy to "get back round the table" with the RCN

Scottish Labour spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said the pay deal was an opportunity to give nurses the recognition they deserved after decades of under-appreciation.

"Instead their voices have been ignored to the extent that RCN Scotland has had to enter into a trade dispute for the first time in their history," she said.

"That they have been forced to this point after the events of the last year and a half is disgraceful."

Scottish Greens health spokeswoman Gillian Mackay said: "There are over 4,400 nursing vacancies in Scotland.

"It's clear we must urgently improve recruitment and retention of nurses if the NHS is to continue to deliver safe and excellent care and giving nurses the pay rise they deserve will be key to achieving this."

Meanwhile, health workers in other parts of the UK are pressing the prime minister to end their long wait for a pay rise amid continuing anger over the government recommending a 1% increase.

Unison is staging a protest at Westminster on Wednesday, saying thousands of health workers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be looking to Boris Johnson to announce his decision in the coming days.

NHS staff were due a pay rise in April, but ministers said they would await the recommendations of the pay review body, which is expected to deliver its report within days.