Stephen has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, encouraging him to give a pay rise to NHS workers.
The government has supported the NHS Pay Review Body, which recommended that NHS workers should received 1% pay increase. With inflation set to rise to this year, it represents a real-terms pay cut for many NHS workers, including nurses, consultants, health visitors and wider clinical staff.
A number of constituents have contacted Stephen in recent weeks outlining their concerns at the “insulting” 1% pay rise. They have told him “…our health workers “need a morale boost now more than ever due to their tireless work throughout the pandemic”.
According to data from NHS England, the Barts Health NHS Trust saw 87,011 people in February still on a waiting list for treatment. Of these, 10,803 have been waiting longer than a year. As such, NHS doctors and nurses must continue with the challenge of this increasing backlog and provide care for those who have had their treatments delayed.
Speaking about the letter, Stephen said “The battle against COVID-19 has been a long and difficult struggle. NHS staff have been at the heart of the fight against coronavirus, working day and night to protect our NHS and save lives. I am calling on the Chancellor to provide them a much-needed pay rise to support them in this crucial recovery period.”