No to Coalition plan for regional pay in the NHS

This weekend, Coalition Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has announced that he backs lower pay for NHS staff in poorer areas such as Cornwall.

Lansley’s plan for regional pay would mean that nurses, midwives, paramedics, porters and cleaners would earn less in areas such as Cornwall, while employees in London and South East of England would get more.

This is a disgraceful and totally unacceptable proposal.

Cornwall suffers from the lowest average wages in the UK, and yet the cost of living is especially high. Thousands are struggling to access housing at a price they can afford, while government cuts are having a devastating impact on public services and the local economy.

The reality is that there is already great inequality across, and between, the nations and regions of the United Kingdom. And I strongly believe that central government should be working to reduce this inequality but if Andrew Lansley and his allies get their way it will get worse.

Regional pay will mean that more money would be siphoned out of Cornwall to be spent in London and the South East – and that would be a scandal. It must be opposed.

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