The statement by Wales' health minister is welcome. BBC News reports:
Ministers will not try to cap any pay rise for Welsh NHS staff in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Wales' health minister has said.
The UK government has faced a backlash after saying a pay rise for staff in England should be capped at 1%.
Vaughan Gething MS said on Friday that Welsh NHS workers "deserved a pay rise".
He said the Welsh Government had "not tried to set a ceiling" on any proposed wage increase.
The NHS Pay Review Body - an independent body - looks at potential wage increases for NHS workers.
It then recommends what pay rises - if any - should take place.
It should be emphasised that nursing in Wales was already under-strength before Covid-19 struck. Along with the rest of Britain, Wales was not well equipped to deal with the surge in hospital cases in even a quiet winter, never mind one in which an influenza or exotic virus epidemic occurred. The Westminster government did not help by creating a post-Brexit hostile environment for non-native health service and care workers. One trusts that the pay review body will come up with a settlement which enables the health service in Wales to retain her excellent experienced nurses, as well as attracting new recruits and tempting back those who left to join the private sector.
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