MORE than nine in ten nurses in Wales have rejected the Welsh Government’s 3.6% pay offer in what has become the highest‑ever turnout in a Royal College of Nursing (RCN) consultation in Wales.
The record level of participation is seen as a clear sign of growing anger over pay, working conditions, and the ongoing pressures facing the NHS. For the first time, so many members have taken part in a consultative ballot – and the message is blunt: nursing staff feel undervalued far beyond the level of an annual pay award.
Call for urgent reform
The RCN says the current NHS “Agenda for Change” pay system – introduced more than 20 years ago – is outdated, offering low starting salaries, blocking career progression, and failing to reward advanced skills, training, and experience.
Union leaders accuse the Welsh Government of “kicking reform down the road” and deferring to England, despite having the power to act. They say proper pay reform is vital to keep experienced nurses in the profession and ensure patient safety.
‘Pay is a patient safety issue’
Helen Whyley, Executive Director of RCN Wales, said: “With the highest turnout ever, our members have made it clear: 3.6% is not enough for nursing staff – they deserve to be heard.
“The commitments made in 2023 on pay restoration and career progression have become empty rhetoric, making no difference to our members’ daily reality. Coupled with the cost‑of‑living crisis and the moral injury of caring for patients in inappropriate environments, it is clear that nursing pay reform is a patient safety issue – and it is within the Welsh Government’s power to fix.
“Pay is not just a number – it reflects the terms, conditions and respect that shape how valued, supported and motivated staff feel in their roles. In less than a year, our members will go to the polls. They feel desperately undervalued by this government, and that will not change unless major reforms are delivered in the months ahead – not just promised in an election campaign.”
What happens next
The RCN will now consult its members on the next steps, which could include a formal ballot for industrial action if the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care does not enter “meaningful talks.”
Welsh Government response
A Welsh Government spokesperson told The Herald it had already committed to the biggest pay rise in the UK for nurses last year, alongside improvements to terms and conditions, and would “continue to work with unions to improve recruitment and retention in the NHS”.
The spokesperson said: “We value the incredible work nurses do every day for patients in Wales. While difficult financial choices have to be made, we remain committed to supporting NHS staff and delivering safe, high‑quality care across Wales.”
