Singing the Praises of Nurses – A Hollow Sound
Nurses work hard doing a tough job that most of us couldn’t do, so it’s right we say thank you. But it’s not enough, in a time of national financial crisis more is needed. Platitudes and gratitude don’t pay the bills. At Springfield Healthcare we recognise the importance of a thank you, not just with words but with hard cash, at a time when it is needed most.
The first ever industrial action by NHS staff in England is evidence that nurses have had enough. They are exhausted, stressed, feeling undervalued and overstretched. The RCN reports that frontline NHS wages have dropped by an average of 10% in the last 10 years. Keir Starmer has called the upcoming strikes ‘a badge of shame’ for the government.
At Springfield Healthcare, our nurses are an essential part of our team. We literally couldn’t run our nursing homes without them. We offer a full care pathway for our residents, so we care for them throughout their time with us and right up to the end of their lives. Our nurses work alongside our carers, as part of a fully staffed, supportive team of colleagues in modern, five star spaces where care literally comes first – the main reason we all chose this career in the first place. And we invest in cutting edge care technology to improve the lives of our residents and streamline the work for our staff. At a time when the government are only just laying out plans for digitised healthcare, we’re already delivering digital care plans, medicine administration and risk monitoring.
We value our nurses enough to make sure their salaries reflect the sterling work that they do. That means a nurse in one of our beautiful homes, working 42 hours per week, can expect to earn a salary of £44,117 – £47,720, worlds apart from the insulting pay bandings offered by the government to staff in the NHS. We know that pay isn’t everything, recognition and support matter too, so we also offer industry leading wellbeing support and incredible clinical career development opportunities.
Graeme Lee, CEO of Springfield Healthcare is resolute in his belief that ‘It is important to us that we attract and retain the very best nurses to care for our residents. We recognise it is not an easy job and so we look to reward hard work and commitment, not just financially, but with the opportunity to develop and build a meaningful career, and hopefully with some fun along the way.’
Newly qualified nurses can earn up to £16,000 per annum more in the private sector or social care sector. Experienced senior nurse managers can step down a level and still earn the same pay and enjoy better mental health and quality of life.
Whilst the NHS remains chronically underfunded, it will struggle to catch up with the private sector, and so the choice is becoming obvious to nurses at a time when the cost of living is biting at its hardest.
Health and social care nurses are the lifeblood of our health system and need the recognition they deserve. Springfield Healthcare is happy to give it and happy to pay it.
Find out more about our Nursing vacancies at Springfield Healthcare.
