Glasgow nurse 'disgusted' by new NHS pay offer after 'watching colleagues use food banks'

Brenda Eadie has slammed health secretary Humza Yousaf for the offer that was put on the table last week which would see a flat pay uplift of £2205 - backdated to April.

The 45-year-old charge nurse, from North Glasgow, claims staff are “drowning” in double shifts but are depending on charity to get by as their wages reportedly won’t stretch far enough.

It comes as the cost-of-living crisis has seen household bills skyrocket, plunging the country into the worst economic state since the 1970s.

In a bid to tackle this, the Scottish Government's latest offer would mean the lowest paid staff could see their wages increase by more than 11%.

Despite being a record offer for NHS staff, Brenda branded the move as “vile” - claiming it won't offer anyone a pay rise as it doesn't match inflation.

Brenda is worried NHS patients could be put at “serious risk” if more money isn’t put towards staff wages.

Speaking to the Glasgow Times, she said: “The offer is nothing short of a disgusting disgrace.

“I have many colleagues who need to use food banks to get by and they do double shifts.

“The lowest bands would not get a pay cut but it wouldn’t be a pay rise like they deserve, and Mr Yousaf is trying to entice them into taking it.

“NHS workers' emotions are running high because they care about the future of patients and the health service.

“Staffing levels are dangerously low. I believe it could put patients at serious risk, it needs to be taken more seriously.

“On Christmas day Mr Yousaf will sit around the table with his family while NHS workers will be drowning in double shifts without loved ones.

“They will be working hard, giving up their own family time, but Mr Yousaf wants to reward them with peanuts.”

We previously reported how the revised pay offer for NHS staff in Scotland was branded "deeply insulting" and a "kick in the teeth" by trade unions.

The Scottish Government and NHS staff had been locked in talks in recent weeks after Yousaf promised to table a "significantly improved" pay offer.

It comes after a 5% pay rise was initially offered, before announcing the new offer which is equivalent to an average pay rise of 7%, or 11% for the lowest paid.

If agreed, the increase would be added to pay cheques before Christmas and backdated to April.

The union had pushed for an offer of at least 5% above inflation.

The offer applies to staff such as midwives, nurses, physiotherapists and other NHS-employed healthcare staff, but not to doctors, GPs or dentists who negotiate pay separately.

Now staff are balloting over strike action, which could see the health service hit by mass industrial action this winter.

Brenda said: “I feel like the Scottish Government hasn’t listened to us. This isn’t the significantly improved offer they promised.

“No one wants to be in this position, but they are pushing us towards the picket line.

“We will stand together as one and be undivided to push for a strike to keep everyone safe.

“Every band deserves an above inflation pay rise as all works are equally important.”

Brenda joined the NHS in 1994 and believes now, almost 30 years later, things have changed for the worse.

She said: “I have watched the NHS deteriorate considerably since I started. It has been going on way before the pandemic.

“There is not enough money now to have lots of staff on a ward, and now our pay doesn’t even match inflation.

“People loved going to work, that was your vocation and you had proper training and support.

“It doesn’t always feel like that now which is scary. Young staff are thrown in the deep end right away.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "This is the largest pay offer given to NHS Scotland Agenda for Change staff since devolution and will mean they remain the best paid in the UK.”

Unison Scotland was also contacted for comment by the Glasgow Times.