4 | Nursing in Practice | Winter 2022
All you need to know on current issues for nurses working in general practice and the community nursingin practice . co . uk
WORKFORCE
RCN says pay rise for nurses would be ‘ indication ’ for general practice
Any pay rise awarded to nurses on Agenda for Change ( AfC ) contracts would act as ‘ an indication ’ of fair pay for nurses in general practice , the RCN has said .
RCN members in the majority of NHS employers balloted across the UK voted in favour of strike action in November .
But nurses not on AfC contracts – including some working in general practice , schools and care homes – cannot take part in the strikes and will not receive any pay award for NHS colleagues . However , RCN professional lead for primary care Heather Randle told Nursing in Practice : ‘ We ’ ve always called for pay parity between the NHS and every other setting , and we ’ ve always been clear that what the Government awards the NHS is an indication of what they believe nursing staff in any setting deserve .
‘ Nursing staff in GP surgeries deliver safety-critical care and deserve pay , terms and conditions that at least match their colleagues in the NHS . We continue to
ONLINE Scan the QR code for daily news updates support non-NHS members in seeking appropriate recognition for the complex expert care they deliver .’
Yet there is still disquiet among some nurses in general practice .
Clare Mechan , a practice nurse in Dorset , said : ‘ There is great frustration that GPNs / ANPs in primary care were not included by unions in the voting . We have no national standard terms and conditions – and there seems to be little support from unions to push this agenda forward .’
As Nursing in Practice went to press , the RCN had announced strike dates on 15 and 20 December across England , Wales and Northern Ireland . Ballot results from Unison in those countries and the Royal College of Midwives ( RCM ) in England and Wales had yet to be announced .
In Scotland , the RCN , the RCM and Unison are consulting members on the Scottish Government ’ s offer of an average uplift of 7.5 %. Plans for strike action have been put on hold .
In brief
Higher public support for overseas recruitment into NHS than into other sectors The majority of the general public think the Government should allow more immigration to bolster the NHS workforce , a poll has found .
The YouGov survey of 1,672 Britons shows 64 % support more immigration to help NHS staffing , while 21 % are against it .
However , support for selective immigration for other sectors such as hospitality and construction is significantly lower . Only 46 % of those polled want more migrant workers , with 32 % opposed ; for construction , the figures are 41 % and 35 % respectively . bit . ly / 3ipmPiE
Nurse-led project launched to tackle high blood pressure in black communities A nurse-led project has been launched to address high blood pressure among black African and Caribbean people through a shared decision-making tool .
Using funding from the Burdett Trust , the Race Equality Foundation ( REF ) project will target communities living in Bromley , Bexley , Greenwich , Lewisham , Southwark and Lambeth , and will be delivered initially through GP practices in the South East London ICS . According to the REF , elevated blood pressure is often not addressed within the black