RCN Wales Welcomes Health Minister’s Announcement on Real Living Wage

Helen Whyley, Director, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales, said: “The RCN is pleased that the Welsh Government has decided to pay the living wage for NHS Wales based employees. However, many RCN members are employed outside the NHS. The Care Home sector, for example, employ thousands of health practitioners who deliver vital care every day. The minimum wage for these staff is the best they get and this is not acceptable. 

We support paying people the living wage, both as an employer and a trade union. We hope the forthcoming social partnership legislation and Workforce Strategy from the Welsh Government will encourage this. It is essential that the workforce strategy aims to improve retention of nursing staff though ensuring safe staffing levels, access to continuous professional development (CPD) as well as measures to support well-being, such as flexible working opportunities and good rates of pay.”