Isle of Man nurses take part in protest march over pay levels

About 50 RCN members and their supporters took part in the peaceful demonstration

Nurses have taken part in a protest march over pay and conditions on the Isle of Man.

About 50 members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and their supporters took part in a peaceful demonstration, which started at Noble's Hospital.

Chairman of the RCN trade union committee Denise Kelly said the island had "hit crisis point" on recruitment because of pay levels.

It follows the rejection of a 6% rise and £1,000 lump sum from Manx Care.

The march comes ahead of planned strike action by RCN members on 25 July.

Denise Kelly said the island risked haemorrhaging nursing staff due to current pay

Ms Kelly said current pay levels ran the risk of "staff haemorrhage off this island".

"We have seen the impact that it's having on members, they're working over and above their contract hours to try and pay bills, to put food on their tables, and they're saying it's not enough," she said.

Not being able to keep staff in place was "going to have an effect on our patient care", Mr Kelly said.

She said while Manx Care had said "there's not enough money, they've already come back three times now and offered more, so obviously there is".

"It is a political choice," she added.

The march was routed past the parliamentary buildings ahead of the July Tynwald sitting

Lesley Field, who previously worked at Noble's Hospital, said she has also seen the situation from the point of view of a patient.

She said a number of nurses she had spoken to were "exhausted" and "frustrated".

"At the end of the day, as a nurse, you're the one that will stand in a court of law if they make mistakes," she said.

"Something massive is going to happen if the managers don't stand up now and start looking after their staff."

Manx Care previously said it respected and acknowledged "our colleagues' decision to protest", and would continue to work with the union.