Thérèse Coffey doubled down on her previous comments rejecting any notion of an increased pay offer.
The Health Secretary has said that nursing staff can leave the UK “if they want to” amid complaints over poor pay and short staffing.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, Health Secretary Thérèse Coffey also doubled down on her previous comments rejecting any notion of an increased pay offer for NHS workers in England.
It contrasts sharply with Scotland’s Health Minister, Humza Yousaf, who said he would do everything in his power to prevent industrial action.
Nursing staff in England are currently voting on strike action in what could be the first country-wide nurses strike in history.
Already helped.
In the interview, Dr Coffey told reporters that the government had already helped “in a number of different ways” including the energy price cap.
“I feel we have acted, and NHS staff have already been offered an annual pay rise of £1,400. We have accepted the recommendation of the pay review body,” Dr Coffey explained.
With around 47,000 unfilled NHS nursing vacancies in England, the Health Secretary warned the government would turn to overseas nurses to fill these gaps but wouldn’t further improve pay.
Speaking about nurses leaving for better conditions abroad, Ms Coffey said: “It is their choice of course if they want to do that, but then we also have an open route for people to come into this country who are professional staff.”
Head in the sand.
The Royal College of Nursing has already accused Dr Coffey of having her “head firmly in the sand”.
Responding to previous comments by the Health Secretary, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Pat Cullen said: “This is an astonishing admission from the Health Secretary – she has already decided she won’t be listening to our half a million members. Ms Coffey has her head firmly in the sand.
“Nurses and support workers hearing this will be angry but it will make them even more determined. Members should find their ballot papers today and show the Health Secretary we have a strong voice that she cannot dismiss.
“Ignoring nursing staff is akin to ignoring patients. We have overwhelming public support for the government to do what’s fair by nursing staff and what’s needed for safe patient care.”
