300,000 worked unpaid overtime during pandemic

The Labour Party has redoubled its call for a fair NHS pay rise as figures show 300,000 staff worked unpaid overtime during the coronavirus crisis. 

The latest figures from the NHS staff survey reveal over 300,000 staff worked unpaid hours in the past year. Almost 13,000 more staff reported working overtime compared to 2019, suggesting over a million hours of unpaid overtime were worked during the pandemic.

Under the government’s current pay proposals, nurses and other NHS staff who were promised at least a 2.1 per cent pay rise will instead see a real terms pay cut of hundreds of pounds. This follows a real terms pay cut of more than £2,300 in the average salary of a nurse and health visitor under the Conservatives since 2010.

The survey also reveals that less than one third of nurses and midwives are satisfied with their current pay levels, suggesting widespread opposition among NHS staff to the Government’s current proposals.

Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, said: “The whole country saw the heroism of our nurses and NHS staff during this pandemic. And the whole country is watching as this injustice continues. Our NHS staff deserve a fair pay rise.

“Whether you live in London or Lancashire, you can send a message to the Conservatives in May that a pay cut for our NHS heroes is an insult. A vote for Labour is a vote to support our nurses.”