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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Pay rise for nurses gets go-ahead | Pay rise for nurses gets go-ahead |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| Nurses in England deserve to be paid the same as their Northern Ireland counterparts, their union has said. | Nurses in England deserve to be paid the same as their Northern Ireland counterparts, their union has said. |
| Earlier on Tuesday, NI Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said nurses would receive the full pay award recommended by the Independent Pay Review Body. | |
| The move means that nurses and midwives will receive a 2.5% increase back-dated from 1 April. | The move means that nurses and midwives will receive a 2.5% increase back-dated from 1 April. |
| Peter Carter, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said the situation was unjust. | Peter Carter, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said the situation was unjust. |
| "Nurses in England will still be left out in the cold because they continue to be offered a lower pay deal than their Celtic cousins," he said. | "Nurses in England will still be left out in the cold because they continue to be offered a lower pay deal than their Celtic cousins," he said. |
| "A nurse giving care and saving lives in London should be as valued as a nurse in Cardiff, Belfast or Edinburgh. | "A nurse giving care and saving lives in London should be as valued as a nurse in Cardiff, Belfast or Edinburgh. |
| "But, when it comes to nurses' pay, we have a Disunited Kingdom in which nurses working in England find themselves discriminated against." | "But, when it comes to nurses' pay, we have a Disunited Kingdom in which nurses working in England find themselves discriminated against." |
| Speaking earlier on Tuesday, Mr McGimpsey said all key workers in "the wider health service team" would get the increase. | Speaking earlier on Tuesday, Mr McGimpsey said all key workers in "the wider health service team" would get the increase. |
| The decision means that the only nurses in the UK who will not receive their full pay from April are those working in England. | The decision means that the only nurses in the UK who will not receive their full pay from April are those working in England. |
| They are getting 1.5% now and an extra 1% in the autumn. | They are getting 1.5% now and an extra 1% in the autumn. |
| Mr McGimpsey said he was on record as saying he believed that nurses "deserved to have their pay in full". | Mr McGimpsey said he was on record as saying he believed that nurses "deserved to have their pay in full". |
| Investment | Investment |
| The minister said the pay rise would also be awarded to administrative and clerical staff "as well as other support services". | The minister said the pay rise would also be awarded to administrative and clerical staff "as well as other support services". |
| Mary Hines, Northern Ireland director of the Royal College of Nursing, said it was not just an investment in nurses, but also in patient care. | Mary Hines, Northern Ireland director of the Royal College of Nursing, said it was not just an investment in nurses, but also in patient care. |
| "The health minister has been very supportive, one has to say that Finance Minister Peter Robinson, who has to make difficult decisions, and the executive have been wonderful," she said. | "The health minister has been very supportive, one has to say that Finance Minister Peter Robinson, who has to make difficult decisions, and the executive have been wonderful," she said. |
| "They have listened to the voice of nursing and nurses in Northern Ireland." | "They have listened to the voice of nursing and nurses in Northern Ireland." |
| A Department of Health spokesman said decisions on implementation of pay were a devolved matter, and the Northern Ireland Assembly had decided on a course of action reflecting their own regional issues. | A Department of Health spokesman said decisions on implementation of pay were a devolved matter, and the Northern Ireland Assembly had decided on a course of action reflecting their own regional issues. |
| "The government has already announced the pay award for health professionals in England - a fair award reflecting the balance between the right level of pay and the need to be vigilant against the threats of inflation." | "The government has already announced the pay award for health professionals in England - a fair award reflecting the balance between the right level of pay and the need to be vigilant against the threats of inflation." |