Do nurses get paid enough to live comfortably?

Scroll to see replies

Nah I'm sorry this isn't right. You go up one "Spine point" of each Band per year, based on experience until you reach the top spine point of that band. To go to the next band you would have to apply for a new job, although this can be done before reaching the top spine point.

As said elsewhere, most nurses stay Band 5 for their careers.

Reply 21

L33t

Original post by PaediatricStN

I've deleted it so I don't confuse people :smile:

don't want to be accused of BS ing i'm new to this- sorry :frown:

Reply 22

Fred5134

Also when you go up a band you start at the bottom pip of the band. I know a number of nurses who went from band 5 to band 6 and took a pay cut.

Reply 23

PaediatricStN

Original post by L33t

I've deleted it so I don't confuse people :smile:

don't want to be accused of BS ing i'm new to this- sorry :frown:

No worries buddy! And no BS at all, don't fret. Just make sure the info you're giving out is accurate - no shame in checking online yourself too. I had to look at the Agenda for Change to double check :biggrin:

Reply 24

LavenderBlueSky88

I'm not a nurse but I'm on the same pay scale - I have enough money to live comfortably (if I wasn't so careless with my money haha). I'm on my second increment of band 5 and I think I'm on about £22k, which is roughly £1400 per month after tax etc. You go up a grand a year provided you meet the requirements for your job. Seeing as most nurses do weekends, long days and nights I'd say you'd actually bring home a fair bit more than I do. It's feasible that 2/3 years after graduating you could get a band 6 and be on £26k+ which is more than enough for a mortgage I'd say.*

Reply 25

wbnurse

To be fair I have met a few single mummy nurses that struggle. It's not a wage I'd want to raise numerous children on (she says when she has 2 kids herself!) but I don't really plan on staying at band 5 forever and I will be on bank when I qualify to top up my wage. I didn't get into nursing for the money though. Infact I didn't even know the pay scale till like 2 weeks ago 😂 and I'm 7 months in. I knew it was band 5 just not how much a year. Thing is with nursing there's so much you can progression. You don't need to stay at band 5 forever. But then again most live perfectly fine at band 5. For me personally job satisfaction would probably outweigh how much I'm paid but hey ho each to their own

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 26

moonkatt

Original post by Fred5134

Also when you go up a band you start at the bottom pip of the band. I know a number of nurses who went from band 5 to band 6 and took a pay cut.

That shouldn't happen, you should go to the next point up if you're on an overlap, otherwise there's no incentive to go for a higher banding. I hope those nurses challenged it, I'd have been straight on to the RCN

Reply 27

Charlotte's Web

Original post by moonkatt

I've heard of this happening a lot, people having to take a pay cut to get to band 6 to get the opportunity to earn more, it seems pretty common.*

Reply 28

moonkatt

Original post by Charlotte49

I've heard of this happening a lot, people having to take a pay cut to get to band 6 to get the opportunity to earn more, it seems pretty common.*

Scroll down to section 6.35

http://www.nhsemployers.org/~/media/Employers/Documents/Pay%20and%20reward/AfC_tc_of_service_handbook_fb.pdf

I imagine it's being done to people because the NHS can be ruthless gits but it's in black and white there.

Also, when a post is advertised, technically, they have funding to the top of the band. It wouldn't surprise me in this day and age of rebanding and the humiliating practice of making people reapply for jobs they're already in, that the NHS would try and get out of paying someone appropriately on going up a band.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 29

PaediatricStN

Original post by Charlotte49

I've heard of this happening a lot, people having to take a pay cut to get to band 6 to get the opportunity to earn more, it seems pretty common.*

The Band 6s on my ward work less unsocial hours - the 5s take charge on nights about 50% of the time. So although one of them went up a pay point, in real terms they get less money because of less unsocial hours.

Random question, what's the asterisk at the end of all your posts for?

Reply 30

wbnurse

Original post by moonkatt

It's also common for top band 3s to be on more than newly qualified nurses. I know it's a little different scenario but it's still just madness

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 31

Charlotte's Web

Original post by PaediatricStN

I'd agree with that, we don't usually have a band 6 on at nights. Even during the day, often a band 5 is doing exactly the role of the band 6 (being in charge, overseeing the running of the ward) because they are off, which I don't really agree with. Lots of the band 5's are consistently being asked to do things beyond their role without the pay increase to match which isn't fair.*

It's some sort of error with TSR, quite a few people are experiencing it at the moment, it's pretty irritating.

Reply 32

PaediatricStN

Original post by Charlotte49

What I find even more ironic - don't know if you've seen this - is that I find some of our senior Band 5s are actually better at taking charge of the shift than some of the 6s! I find a few of them more approachable and supportive, more willing to do drug checks and cast an eye over your patient and just generally more interested in any changes to your patients' care. I suspect this is because of the lack of the added burden of all the management roles a Band 6 has to take on.

Oh I see, weird!