NHS Pay

Debate between Chris Philp and Jonathan Ashworth

Wednesday 13th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[Jonathan Ashworth]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. She has been determined in her pursuit of this issue and I know that that will continue.

[Chris Philp (Croydon South) (Con)]

rose—

--- Later in debate ---

[Jonathan Ashworth]

My hon. Friend has spoken incredibly powerfully about that case and he is quite right to say it is shameful.

[Chris Philp]

rose—

--- Later in debate ---

[Jonathan Ashworth]

She is still a nurse—I do beg her pardon—and she makes her case powerfully.

[Chris Philp]

rose—

[Jonathan Ashworth]

I will give way to the hon. Member for Croydon South (Chris Philp) because he has been so persistent, but I will then try to get on with my speech.

--- Later in debate ---

[Chris Philp]

It is kind of the shadow Minister to give way. Of course our hearts go out to the people in the stories he is relaying to the House, but we need to consider the whole picture. In its March report, the NHS Pay Review Body said:

“We do not see significant short-term nationwide recruitment and retention issues that are linked to pay.”

The pay review body itself says that pay is not causing retention issues, so should the House not take account of that?

[Jonathan Ashworth]

Perhaps we really should, but I think the hon. Gentleman, who is an enthusiastic supporter of his Front-Bench team, is quoting selectively from the report, which I will move on to in a few moments.

Today’s motion is not just about doing what is right for NHS staff; it is about doing what is right for patients, too. I remind the House that we are significantly short of GPs and that we are short of 3,500 midwives. According to the Royal College of Nursing, we are also short of 40,000 nurses, with one in 10 nursing posts remaining vacant. Nearly 40% of the full-time vacancies advertised on NHS Jobs earlier this year were in nursing, and the Opposition know that Brexit is having an impact through nurses leaving the UK. The Nursing and Midwifery Council shows an increase in the numbers of nurses and midwives leaving its register. The average midwife has seen the value of their pay drop by over £6,000 since 2010, and we are significantly short of numbers, with 80% of midwives intending to leave the profession in the next two years as a result of the pay cap.