Nurses seek pounds 750 for new year shifts

NURSES AND other National Health Service staff demanded a bonus of pounds 500 yesterday for working on Millennium Eve and pounds 250 for working the morning after. Some nurses with scarce specialisms have threatened to resign from the NHS next December and go to work for agencies who will be charging hospitals pounds 600 for their services.

Union leaders warned the NHS Executive it could be difficult or impossible to persuade employees to turn up during the celebrations unless there is a substantial one-off payment. Leaders of the million NHS staff calculate that their claim for a bonus would cost the service an extra pounds 150m.

Paul Marks, deputy head of health at public service union Unison, told management that some of his members might insist on "freelancing" elsewhere unless the NHS can make it worth their while. "Everyone wants to celebrate the millennium and everyone wants the NHS to run smoothly over the holiday. It is only fair that the people who have to give up their own celebrations should receive some reward," he said.

Employees' leaders said some upmarket restaurants in London were paying waiters pounds 1,000 for working on New Year's Eve and health workers might decide to boost their meagre earnings. Mr Marks said staff with specific skills, such as those in catering, might want to take advantage of big bonuses elsewhere and others, such as porters, could find work as security guards.

A circular from the NHS has advised trusts to pay normal rates on 31 December and it hinted that anyone not turning in for work should be disciplined.

A spokeswoman for the NHS confirmed that management had received the claim and would reply in due course.

A university that planned to charge student nurses - who receive an annual bursary of pounds 5,300 - for their uniforms was forced into a climbdown yesterday by Frank Dobson, the Secretary of State for Health.

Kingston University in Surrey had planned to introduce a charge of pounds 100 for the traditional uniform for students starting training next month. But when the details emerged yesterday, Mr Dobson reacted swiftly to have the decision reversed.