Quote Originally Posted by Mike T View Post
Of course the public sector is funded by tax - but when the private sector becomes ill it provides them with health care without charge - up to the huge costs of organ transplants if necessary. Try that in the US. As to the wages nurses earn vs their level of experience/responsibility - it is a travesty. It is amazing how much money has appeared recently - the magic money tree does exist - austerity was a choice not a necessity. And badges to recognise the NHS's efforts - try paying bankers with badges.
I know i'm in for a lynching here, as anything in a negative light with regards to NHS/nurses wages is a bit of a hot subject...

But... I think nurses are aqeduately rewarded (financially) for the job they do. My opinion is that trainee/student nurses need no qualifications over and above, say a trainee engineer (arguably less in fact), and at that stage their salaries are low, as they are in all industries.

At the other end of the scale, I have a close relative who is a specialist nurse and she is well rewarded financially (and rightly so) for her fantastic ability, conduct and qualifications.

Working conditions, work-life balance, etc... now that's a different matter, and i'm no expert on it. We have an ongoing issue in our family which closely relates to the NHS, and safe to say this paints them in a very negative light regards to treatment of their employees...