NURSES have secured an immediate 2.5% pay rise. The Public Sector Remuneration Committee has bowed to union pressure and made the pay award, which is staged in the UK, in one go.

But the award is still below the increase in the cost of living.

Health minister Peter Roffey said the deal would cost his department more but was a positive move to make. It fully supported the nurses’ request.

‘We think this gesture was a good one for the States to make at this time. Clearly, the agreement will be costing my department slightly more than it would with strict application of the UK rates, but we can meet that cost from our existing budget and believe it is money well spent.’

Bev Clark, chairwoman of the local nurses’ negotiating committee, welcomed the agreement.

‘Although this is really quite a small concession by the States, it is, nevertheless, a very positive one which members will appreciate,’ she said.

Nurses in Guernsey are paid on UK scales and receive pay awards made by the UK Nurses Pay Review Body. This year it has recommended a 1.5% increase from 1 April, with a further 1% in November.

The payment of staggered awards in one locally has been agreed in the past.

‘Although this agreement clearly represents a temporary departure from the strict parity link with rates on the mainland, my committee felt it was important to retain the support of nursing staff in this vital area of public service,’ said PSRC chairman Jonathan Le Tocq.

About 1,000 States-employed nurses will benefit.

Ms Clark added that problems within the National Health Service, which contributed to the sub-RPI award, were still a concern to her members.

‘Clearly, the UK Government has even greater financial problems than Guernsey and I know that the national nursing unions are very concerned about this.’