scoobydooathome

Did anyone see the UK 4x4 TV programme last night, about nursing in the UK, or rather the lack of nurses in the UK, it was reported that some agencies in London are ripping the NHS off for £700.00 pounds $1800.00 AUD per 8 hour shift, to provide a single qualified nurse to cover for nursing shortages, no wonder theres no money left for patient care..................

baldbutts

Jeez,£45 an hour for a nurse! Is that all.I pay £100 + travel expenses for mine.(mind you,she does wear a red leather ward outfit with rubber stockings).

BB-Medicare means moneycare (remember that advertising slogan!)

r.bartlett

in what way are they ripping anyone off..

the nurse gets 20 ph + -everyone is forever moaning about paying nurses what they are worth -and when an agency does -you moan..

cheers

richard

dpr21

I have worked using agencies (as a physio) prior to working in private. In general more than 33% of the amount paid by the NHS goes to the agency NOT the healthcare worker. Most healthcare professionals would far rather work directly for the health service getting a 'reasonable' salary, paid holidays, sick pay etc. However until the NHS improves pay and working conditions for all concerned, this problem will continue to exist. Further, apart from the lack of benefits, most locums are short term and involve moving around with associated logistical problems. It is only the 'shortage' of staff that allows people to work almost continuously as locum staff. Numerous highly qualified staff, nurses for example, have left the profession entirely because of poor pay and working conditions.

The DOH/Govt/NHS saw this coming years ago. Don't blame the nurses

DPR (physiotherapist)

pommie bastard

Same thing goes on here its down to Hospital managers with no Medical background, who live on the planet bull and seem have minds like retard Accountants.

scrawni

I think nurses are a special type of person.
I don't know about the duties of nurses or working hours but by the amount of moaning that goes on you would think that they do 80 hours a week for minimum wage.
Can sombody put me straight so I can make an objective opinion without offending nurses.

kentcoast

They certainly are special - after all, one married me! It must have been a sympathy thing.....

In answer to your question nursing is better paid then it was 20 years ago when I left the profession (No male nurse jokes please, although I will admit to once pushing a hospital bed around Blackheath, in drag complete with fishnets and Dr Martens but it was for charity!)

Having said that nursing wages are behind most of europe, a long way behind the USA but just ahead of Oz. A newly qualified nurse can expect something over £15k, a staff nurse (e grade) starts just over £17k a ward manager (sister/charge nurse in old money) is in the low to mid £20k's. That's just rough and there are grades in between and bureaucrat jobs above to aim for when you get bored with real nursing.

All in all, nursing still suffers from the image of being 'womens work' which doesn't really merit a wage that reflects the qualifications and responsibilities of the job. (Irony intended here before someone takes the above at face value!)

Cheers

Perry