What MailOnline readers really think about paying off nurses to avert more strikes

NHS nurses walked out again today, marking the start of a 48-hour walk-out which will cause disruption for thousands of patients.

Medics have downed tools in their ongoing dispute with the Government over pay, which follows similar action that took place in the run-up to Christmas.

And nurses will return to the picket lines on February 6 and 7, leading to even more NHS operations and procedures being cancelled. 

RCN boss Pat Cullen has repeatedly called for the Government to improve its pay offer for nurses but ministers have refused to budge. Health Secretary Steve Barclay claimed accepting the ‘unaffordable’ demands would only stoke inflation. 

MailOnline readers were today asked if they think it is time for the Government to give nurses a better deal. Here are 20 of the best-rated comments…

An 18.4 per cent pay rise — based on the current rate of inflation — would see the average nurses’ salary go from £37,000 to £43,800 (red bar). Meeting halfway would see it increase to £40,400 (purple bar). The Government has insisted its offer of around 4 per cent, or £1,400, is all it can afford at present (blue bar) 

The NHS is very well funded, but there is criminal levels of wastage at the corporate level so funds don’t go to front line services. This is not a fault of the government, it lies firmly at the feet of the NHS leadership who would rather spend money on rainbows and diversity officers than nurses salary. (From an NHS accountant) Hugh Mungus, London, United Kingdom

What about the plumbers the electricians the plastererers, carpenters etc. All the tradesman out there our wages are down 18% in 18 years and no one’s fighting for us because we’re all in the private sector… The attitude we get is, if you don’t like it get another job but the other jobs are 18% down as well Dan Bruffell, ReformUK Wirral West, United Kingdom

Its not up to the government to give any NHS worker a pay rise, the government gives the Health Trusts 180 billion of taxpayers money to run the NHS , its the Health Trusts that pay the salaries Persephony, Woking, United Kingdom

It’s time the NHS got its house in order. I’m sure nurses and front line NHS staff could be paid better from within existing resources if the appalling waste, massively over-duplicated management structures (every single NHS Trust has got an expensive Board to fund and service), squandering on virtue signalling and general incompetence was tackled. Lots of vested interests there leaching off the taxpayer. AlexOTB, Cardiff, United Kingdom

Could somebody please ask a nurse on camera how paying him/her more ‘fixes the NHS’…..? Lardythefatman, Land of Milk and Honey, United Kingdom

They could give nurses more by getting rid of the following – diversity and Equality Managers, Life Managers, Translators, in fact any useless managers. Fisher123, Leicestershire, United Kingdom

No. The government should not be held to ransom by trotskyist Marxist Union barons Feelgoodfactor, London, United Kingdom

The structure needs changing! Proper bursary for training, free car parking at work. There used to be both! Happily retired, Killarney, Italy

Striking NHS nurses picket outside the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield holding a poster stating ‘If you’re happy to have no nurses clap your hands’ 

The Royal College of Nursing will hold its strikes over pay on January 18 and 19, as well as February 6 and 7. It joins Unison in five ambulance services on January 23. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy will also stage strike action on January 26 and February 9

Nurses should never strike , sadly thsts the world we now live in Chasdave, london, United Kingdom

Any pay rise for the nurses could quite easily be funded from the cash that the NHS already has, but that it wastes left, right and centre. Perhaps a little more from government could be added in, but FIRST sort out the NHS from the top down. THEN take a look at what cash is really needed to run it properly, as a business would be run, before handing over any more cash whatsoever. At the moment it just vanishes into a great big gaping hole to nowhere. jem, Bromsgrove, United Kingdom

If people cant live on 37K they seriously need to look at what they spend their money on, being a pensioner I manage on considerably less. SIM_0219, Near You, United Kingdom

If the NHS was totally restructured, the non jobs were ditched, the health tourism was stopped and the unaccept able waste such as not accepting back used crutches and wheelchairs was stopped, there would be plenty and spare to give them all large pay rises. The NHS needs a root and branch clean out. Skepticatt, Devon, United Kingdom

Yes nurses deserve more but it is not a government problem. The fault lies with those that manage the money and those that employ people on stupid non jobs at ridiculous money far above a nurses salary djw53, anywhere but London, United Kingdom

I have always wondered where all those Agencys Nurses come from yet there re not enough NHS Nurses? Are they the same Nurses picking up big bucks on their days off? It doesnt make sense to me Grace Costa Blanca, Alicante, Spain

20% for nurses is a ridiculous demand and junior doctors demands are even worse. Up to 30%? These are not even realistic and show that it really isn’t about pay, it’s about a far left agenda. Linc_PW, Lincoln

Get rid of the upstairs people who get paid stupid amounts of money that would be a good start! Longtallsal, Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Because of Gordon Brown’s run away public sector pay inflation from 97 to 2010 Britain’s nurses have been overpaid for far too long. This inflation if finally starting to fix that. It’s not as if nurses are a small sector of the population either, more than 1% of the UK population is a nurse. Long Fuse, Feels Like Labour Will Blow It

No one seems to mention the excellent pension they receive when they retire , Graysus, Staffs moorlands, United Kingdom

There’s a cost of living crisis which is affecting everyone apart from the super rich. If everyone in the country got a 18% pay rise inflation would go through the roof. jon, Staffordshire Moorlands, United Kingdom

Greed. They are paid well for what they do with a good plated pension. Henry 55, Newquay, United Kingdom