Long waits in casualty and treatment on trolleys - because of staffshortages and flu. (Photopress)

The crisis hitting the NHS over staff shortages has led the Governmentto indicate pay will rise by ten per cent for the most junior nurses.Guardian reporter MARCUS THORNLEY asks if the cure will work.

As thousands snivel their way to work, less fortunate colleagues arewrapped up at home or, worse, choking hospitals with soaring temperaturesand aching limbs.

This winter has seen horror stories of patients kept on trolleys forhours, casualty waiting times soaring, ambulances being used as impromptumortuaries, and undertakers working overtime.

The Mayday Hospital has not suffered as badly as this, but it hasstruggled to cope with what one casualty consultant called "thebusiest two weeks I have ever known in 17 years".

With flu affecting nurses like the rest of us, staff on the sick-listhave plunged the NHS on to the critical list.

But whereas the immediate cause of the problems, a virulent virus fromthe other side of the world, will disappear, the endemic problems of thehealth service will be around long after the last runny-nose.

In short, with an estimated 12,000 nurses' vacancies nationwide and100 at Mayday alone, there are not enough nurses to keep the systemafloat.

Mayday runs an innovative Return To Practice course which is having somesuccess at bringing ex-nurses back into the wards, but problems inrecruitment remain.

The remedy, say the unions, is pay increases and this year the Governmentis likely to up the wages to tackle the nursing shortages. ChancellorGordon Brown promised last week: "We will recognise the contributionof all to the NHS. In particular, we will recognise nurses. There is aneed for pay reform."

The Government is awaiting reports from independent review bodies on payfor nurses and other NHS staff. Early indications are that the lowest paidcould be getting an extra 10 per cent in their pay packets from April.This means the wages of a D-grade staff nurse, currently on £12,855after three years' of training, could be bumped up to about £14,000- a welcome increase but still less than police officers or teachersearn.

But will the cash injection cure the nursing shortage?

Frank McGurrin, director of nursing at Mayday Hospital thought so. Hesaid: "The money will make an enormous difference. One of the mainproblems at the moment is that the starting salary is £13,000. Youcan get that working in a supermarket, without the pressure and the grief.

Joe Sheridan, the Royal College of Nursing's senior officer in southThames, gave the news a guarded welcome.

"Whatever is done now might retain some nurses but it is not goingto solve the crisis because it still takes three years to train newnurses.

"Clearly nurses need comparative wages to other professions, such aspolice officers, social workers, and teachers. To do this, the pay reviewbody would have to raise salaries by around 20 per cent," he said.

Mayday sister Geraldine Murphy said the increase must not be a one-offmeasure. She said: "The 10 per cent is a good start but theGovernment must go further - we are dealing with people's lives."

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