RCSLT response to separate nursing pay scale consultation

The RCSLT has formally responded to the consultation on a possible separate pay scale for nursing with a resounding ‘no’.

The RCSLT’s response says that a separate pay spine for nurses would be deeply unhelpful and would go against the NHSE Workforce Plan objective of team cohesion.

It would:

• Lead to bad feeling and division across professions
• Damage staff morale
• Be impractical and unworkable.

The new spine would immediately be challenged on equality grounds.

Speech and language therapists told us the plan ‘is divisive’, ‘all the points raised in the consultation are relevant to AHPs’ and that ‘the impact would be demoralising for the AHP workforce.’

Instead, we call for a recognition by Government and commissioners that even where services are fully staffed, demand is far exceeding capacity; a system-wide approach where success is based on delivering improved outcomes; and appropriate clinical and professional leadership roles.

Thank you to all the members who provided feedback on this issue. We will monitor the situation closely and report back on the outcomes of the consultation.