Give our Nurses a 25% Pandemic Pay Rise
The Health Minister must take urgent action to incentivise more nurses to work in the state’s hospitals, including providing ‘pandemic risk pay’ increase of 25%, and diverting all ICU-qualified nurses into ICUs from vaccination hubs, says Cate Faehrmann, Greens NSW MP and health spokesperson.
“The Health Minister must do more to bring more nurses into our hospitals and ICUs, with news that there aren’t enough ICU nurses to operate anywhere near the 2000 ventilators in NSW should they need to be deployed,” said Ms Faehrmann.
“In April, as part of its temporary pandemic response, retired nurses, along with GPs, midwives and pharmacists were able to be listed on a sub-register for 12 months to help, however this is only to help with the vaccination rollout.
“Given the crisis unfolding in our state’s hospitals, any ICU-qualified nurses working in vaccinations must urgently be re-assigned to our state’s hospitals, and they need to be paid more for their efforts.
“Today, both the Premier and the Health Minister praised the work of our frontline health staff, particularly nurses. Given the incredible stresses that our nurses are under, and the challenges the government is facing in attracting more nurses into the workforce, nurses should receive an immediate pandemic pay rise of 25%.
“Our nurses are working in hugely stressful environments right now, risking exposure to Covid for themselves and their loved ones every day. Giving them a 25% pay rise is in recognition of this, and will also help retain nurses across NSW at this critical time,” said Ms Faehrmann.
Last Monday, Cate Faehrmann wrote to the NSW Health Minister with 8 steps the Government could immediately take to attract more nurses into the workforce, including a pay increase.