Most nurses at the Royal College of Nursing in Scotland were frustrated. Andy Kerr was persistent and he kept urging the government to make the pay rise of 2.5% in April. Dr Peter Carter said: “Scotland’s executive is setting an example that the government in Westminster should follow.”

 Karen Jennings, Head of Health at Unison, said that this decision should shame the MP’s in Westminster, all the nursing and health staff deserve this pay-rise and no-one should stop them having it. Dr Peter Carter then said: “By following the recommendations of the Independent Pay Review Body, Andy Kerr is setting an example for Westminster to follow.”                                

The government have now announced a decent pay rise for nurses in England and Wales, but this is less than the new pay deal for Scottish workers. Workers will now be paid better for the work that everyone involved in health has done but no-one will forget this incident, and it might affect government decisions in the near future.