NHS salary: Are UK nurses paid more than those in Europe? trends now

NHS salary: Are UK nurses paid more than those in Europe? trends now
NHS salary: Are UK nurses paid more than those in Europe? trends now

NHS salary: Are UK nurses paid more than those in Europe? trends now

Nurses in England have once again walked off the job this week, downing tools for a total of 48 hours in the latest chapter in their pay dispute with No10. 

More than30,000 NHS nurses are taking to the picket lines today, in what is is expected to be the biggest day of industrial action to ever hit the health service with 10,000 ambulance workers also holding their own industrial action at the same time.

Today's nurses' strike, led by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), is just the latest to hit the NHS in an ongoing winter of discontent over pay and conditions that has led to 90,000 appointments cancelled so far. 

Union bosses claim their members need an inflation busting pay boost to help their members cope with the cost of living crisis and fix NHS staffing gaps. 

But ministers have refused to budge, claiming the some 4 per cent offered is all the nation can afford, and any more would come at the cost of patient services.

Here MailOnline answers your questions on the nurses strike stalemate.

This graph shows the average nurses' pay for a host of EU and European countries as of 2020 taking into account how expensive it is to live in each nation. The UK, at £30,880 comes just under the European average of £31,600 but is almost half the top runner Luxembourg with, £59,790

This graph shows the average nurses' pay for a host of EU and European countries as of 2020 taking into account how expensive it is to live in each nation. The UK, at £30,880 comes just under the European average of £31,600 but is almost half the top runner Luxembourg with, £59,790

Royal College of Nursing members striking at St Thomas' Hospital in London today

Royal College of Nursing members striking at St Thomas' Hospital in London today

Nurses strike at St Thomas' Hospital in London o as part of the ongoing row over pay and conditions

Nurses strike at St Thomas' Hospital in London o as part of the ongoing row over pay and conditions

How much do NHS nurses earn compared to the rest of Europe?

The latest international comparison puts the average UK nurses' annual pay at £30,880 for 2020.

This is just behind the EU average for the same period of £31,600.

Both figures were calculated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in December last year.

This report used data from 20 EU countries and five more from the wider European area, like the UK. 

The OECD calculated the value of the nurses' wages in terms of how much it costs to live in that nation, a method called purchasing power parity.

This allows a comparison between how much the average nurse's salary is worth in a country that is more expensive to live in compared with one where it is cheaper.

Luxembourg topped the list for nurses' pay, with health professionals there earning the equivalent of £59,790.

This was followed by Belgium with £55,70 and The Netherlands with £45,290. 

Britain came in 12th overall, just behind Slovenia where nurses earned the equivalent of £33,330 but ahead of Poland where they earned £30,340.

The OECD also compared how a nurses' salary stacked up in comparison to the average wage of each nation.

Across the EU earned 20 per cent more than the average salary in the bloc.

In comparison, UK nurses earned dead-on the average British wage in 2020, similar to nations like Italy and Portugal.

Nurses in Belgium topped the charts earning 60 per cent more than the average wage, followed by Luxembourg and Spain where they health professionals there each earned 50 per cent more than the average worker. 

Why does it matter what nurses elsewhere in Europe earn? 

Two reasons, recruitment and retention.

In terms of retention, if a significant number of Britain's neighbours offer a comparatively higher wage than the NHS nurses could be tempted to leave and go work there, exacerbating existing staff shortages. 

Additionally, EU-trained nurses working in the UK could easily be tempted by a higher salary in the bloc rather than remain in Britain.

In terms of recruitment, the UK is just one nation competing for international nurses from countries like India and the Philippines looking to shore up its domestic nursing workforce. 

If the UK fails to offer a competitive salary it could struggle to attract international nursing recruits.

This could be devastating with Britain becoming increasingly reliant on overseas trained nurses over the past few years.

The latest data shows the number of international nurses registering to work in the UK is nearing parity with British-trained nurses for the first time. 

Data from the nursing regulator, the Nursing and Midwifery Council shows the UK is increasingly turning to international recruit to boost staff numbers. This year the number of international nurse recruits nearly reached the number British nurses joining the profession for the first time ever. The data also shows the number of internationally trained nurses signing on in the UK has increased year-on-year, minus a blip of the Covid pandemic which hampered immigration

Data from the nursing regulator, the Nursing and Midwifery Council shows the UK is increasingly turning to international recruit to boost staff numbers. This year the number of international nurse recruits nearly reached the number British nurses joining the profession for the first time ever. The data also shows the number of internationally trained nurses signing on in the UK has increased year-on-year, minus a blip of the Covid pandemic which hampered immigration

How much more cash do UK nurses want?

RCN bosses have campaigned for pay rise for their members that is five percent above inflation.

With inflation skyrocketing late last year this put the union's demand at a whopping 19.2 per cent pay rise, though it has since fallen slightly to 18.4 per cent. 

If accepted it would see the average nurses' salary go from £37,000 to £43,800, an increase of nearly £7,000. 

The £37,000 average is a Government estimate in what the average nurse in England earns currently.

In comparison the OECD estimate was for the whole of the UK in 2020 and also accounts for cost of living. 

Union chiefs have also repeatedly hinted that they may accept a pay rise less than half of their 18.4 per cent demand if the Government commits to negotiations.

Strike action in Wales, which were also due to be held today and tomorrow, was cancelled at the 11th-hour after the Government there offered nurses an additional 3 per cent. 

However, ministers at Westminster have so far refused to discuss pay for the current financial year. 

Is it all about pay?

No. Union bosses have also framed the dispute as part of an effort to save the NHS, which is struggling with patient demand alongside tens-of-thousands of staff vacancies.

Nurses on the picket lines have also complained about working conditions.

They have said the stresses of being understaffed, being unable to look after patients as they would like as they rush from emergency to emergency, are also making them consider quitting the profession. 

Others have said it is wrong that hospitals have had to set up internal food banks to help staff during the cost of living crisis. 

What has the Government offered?

No10 has said the 4 per cent offered for the 2022/23 financial year is all the nation can afford.

This is equivalent to an extra £1,400 an increase that was backed by independent the NHS Pay Review Body. 

Ministers have repeatedly warned any additional rise beyond this would have to come out of existing NHS

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