Discrepancies in nurses’ salary increases to be fixed soon – Minister

Salary increases which were announced for health workers last year are yet to benefit some nurses in the health system, but these discrepancies will be remedied by the Health Ministry soon.
Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony explained recently that while the pay hike was announced since December 2022, some persons are not receiving the increased sum.
“I understand that in some of the regions there might be a few discrepancies, and if there are those, we need to address them. Recently, I was in Region Five, and I understand that there were a number of nurses, although this has been passed several months now, that the persons are not getting the appropriate salary increase,” he revealed.
For those who have experienced this issue, the Minister has asked that the Regional Health Officers mobilise to have this problem fixed soon.
“If there is anybody who is having these deficits, then we need to fix them, and we need to do that as quickly as possible. We can’t announce salary increases and then there are people who are not getting them. But by a large, I think everyone has benefitted from an increase,” he said.
Nurse aides and patient care assistants had their minimum salaries adjusted upwards from $80,892 to $100,000. This represents an additional 23.6 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to each worker.
Additionally, nursing assistants were entitled to an increase, as their wages were adjusted upwards from $88,525 to $115,000. This represents an additional 29.9 per cent increase on the minimum salary paid to a nursing assistant.
Salary increases for midwives moved from $96,974 to $169,438. This represents a 74.7 per cent increase. Staff nurses were able to benefit from their salary being adjusted from $111,628 to $169,438 monthly, or a 51.8 per cent increase. Staff nurses/midwives’ salaries moved from $127,963 to $195,000 – an additional 52.4 per cent increase.
At that time, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government had announced a raft of new salary increases for medical workers, with some increases ranging from 36.4 per cent to as much as 74.7 per cent. (G12)