Owen Jones has slammed the government over NHS wait lists today as record numbers of doctors and nurses consider leaving the UK.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain, the Guardian columnist blasted delays to care after figures obtained by Labour revealed more than 120,000 people in England died last year while waiting for hospital treatment.
The figure is double the 60,000 patients who died in 2017/18.
It follows warnings from the head of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Pat Cullen that nurses are “struggling to feed their families and keep a roof over their head” amid further balloting of members in England over strike action.
In an interview with BBC Breakfast in June, Cullen said: “They’re also saying that the offer that was put on the table isn’t enough and they want the Government to finish off the deal – to get around the table and prevent them having to strike from now up to Christmas if they vote again on this ballot.
She added: “If we look at nurses’ pay, it is significantly low. Their pay over this past decade has dropped by 20%, and they are really struggling to live – they’re struggling to feed their families, they’re struggling to keep a roof over their head.
“It’s heartbreaking to hear those nurses saying that they now have to choose whether they stay on as a nurse or go elsewhere so that they can feed their families and keep a roof over their head.”
The RCN estimates that an average NHS nurse earns around £34,000 but has been forced to endure a real-terms pay cut of 20% since 2020.
Meanwhile, a paramedic is believed to receive an average basic salary of £34,300, thanks to a government pay increase of at least 4%.
Jones, reacting to the current state of waiting times in the UK, said the inability to fill the vacancies of doctors and nurses is a direct result of poor pay and conditions.
He said: “A nurse on average, in real terms, is paid five grand less than in 2010. A paramedic is paid six and a half thousand less than in 2010.
“Australia at the moment – do you know what they’re doing? They are bombarding our health service – our doctors and nurses – with adverts to come to Australia, you’ll be better paid, have a better climate.”
He added: “If we pay them properly, we’ll retain and recruit them.”
Figures reveal close to 25,000 applications for documents required to secure employment overseas were made to health regulators in 2022, with the vast majority representing NHS workers.
Nearly 7,000 doctors applied for documents to support an application to work abroad from the General Medical Council in 2022, up from 6,100 in 2019.
Speaking to MailOnline, a number of NHS staff claim factors such as the pandemic and poor pay motivated them to look at options abroad, with Australia offering salaries up to £130,000.
Related: Nurses ‘struggling to live’, union leader warns amid new strike ballot
