Scotland’s first minister has promised to ‘seek an update’ on the pay battle of two district nurses who have been waiting several years for their job regrade and related pay rise to be honoured.
John Swinney said in Parliament today that he wanted the issue to ‘be resolved’ and that he would approach the nurses’ employer in due course.
Cathy Fugaccia and Shona Middleton – district nurses employed by NHS Tayside in Scotland – say they were upgraded from a band 6 to a band 7 in 2018, but accuse the health board of refusing to deliver on the regrade and related pay rise of around £7,000 per year.
This is despite a previous job review – that took place between 2018 and 2019 – which is said to have recognised that the nurses had greater responsibilities and more extensive training, including in prescriptions, than colleagues elsewhere in Tayside.
With support from GMB Scotland, the nurses have now taken their case to Scottish Parliament for support and today sat in the gallery while MSPs discussed the issue.
Ms Middleton, who has been a district nurse in Monifeith in Angus for almost 28 years, said the nurses would ‘much rather not’ go to Parliament, but that they ‘refuse to give up’.
‘It is not just about us. It is about all NHS Scotland staff being treated with fairness and respect. Managers should not be allowed to choose which of their promises to keep and which to break.’
Ms Middleton added that it is ‘beyond disappointing’ to be left in this position, adding that ‘this is not a complicated issue’.
An employment tribunal has been scheduled for March to hear the nurses’ claims.
Even if they win, the nurses can only be awarded two years’ back pay, instead of the seven years they say they are owed, amounting to £42,000.
Their efforts are being supported by Michael Marra, MSP North East Scotland, who has called on Scottish first minister John Swinney to encourage NHS Tayside to accept the nurses’ claim.
Speaking in Holyrood today, Mr Marra said the nurse’s experience was ‘entirely unacceptable’ and called upon NHS Tayside to ‘get their act together’.
In response, the first minister said: ‘Obviously I want these issues to be resolved and the health boards have got a responsibility to exercise their function properly in that respect.
‘I will seek an update from NHS Tayside on that question and share it with Mr Marra.’
Karen Leonard, GMB Scotland organiser in NHS Scotland, said: ‘The health board has wilfully made this issue seem far more complicated than it is.’
Ms Leonard explained that the issue ‘could not be more simple’ and that the nurses were ‘promised a pay rise that never came’.
‘The treatment of skilled and committed frontline staff by NHS Tayside is beyond deplorable and shows an absolute lack of respect,’ Ms Leonard said.
A Spokesperson for NHS Tayside said it was unable to comment on matters relating to individual members of staff.
‘Workforce and Health and Social Care Partnership colleagues in Tayside are in active communication with the affected staff and their union representatives to try to resolve their outstanding issues,’ they said.
The spokesperson added that the district nurse job evaluation has been undergoing national review as part of the Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee (STAC).
The STAC is a national partnership of management and staff which is responsible for job evaluation in Scotland.
Last month the health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting, told the Health and Social Care Select Committee in England that district nurses are an ‘undervalued and understaffed’ part of the NHS.
Last October, Mr Swinney responded to another question from Mr Marra, which urged the first minister to ‘take a personal interest’ to ensure the nurses ‘get the money they deserve’.
