FOR years they have been depicted as self-sacrificing angels, willing to do their job above and beyond the call of duty - despite the miserly pay and crippling workload. But the biggest wage rise for nurses in 10 years has failed to quell the deep-seated unhappiness and resentment felt by some. Chief reporter JASON HEAVEY spoke to one disaffected nurse

FOUR years ago, Linda Burbridge gave up the nursing job she loved to sell advertising space.

She had worked at Park Lee Hospital, Blackburn, for seven years, but had become disillusioned by the poor pay, lack of promotion prospects and the general "lot" of the NHS nurse. Linda relished the work, but despaired at the way nurses were treated.

In 1996, despite her frustration, the affection she held for her chosen profession spurred her to relaunch her career as a nurse in the outpatient unit of Blackburn Infirmary's ear, nose and throat department. But just three years later the malaise has set in again - despite an 8.2 per cent wage rise which will give her an extra £23 a week.

Linda, 47, of Holly Street, Oswaldtwistle, is among the hordes of experienced staff who have hit a cul-de-sac in their careers.

Within a year of entering the nursing profession in 1989, she had progressed from grade D to a higher grade E.

Ten years on, she still works 20 hours a week as a grade D and 17 hours on a grade E.

She is thrilled that the 12 per cent rise for her newly-qualified colleagues will earn them starting salaries of more than £14,000 from April 1. But she feels strongly that all nurses should have been given the same increase.

Despite almost 10 years' experience in nursing, Linda's current salary is only £14,198 which will rise to £15,395 in April.

Linda, who has two grown-up children and two stepchildren, is among the nurses with 10, 20, or 30 years' experience who are stuck on the lower grades and can only watch in frustration as their "twenty-something" colleagues earn almost as much.

"I qualified after spending three years and three months studying as a mature student," said Linda.

"I worked at Park Lee Hospital caring for elderly people, but after a few years I became disillusioned with the NHS and the way nurses were being treated.

"I left nursing in February 1995. I tried other jobs, but because I love nursing and enjoy the work I decided to return and try a new speciality in September 1996.

"Since I have been back, I have realised there is no career structure in the department I work in, despite most nurses having been on a lot of training courses.

"Over the past five years nurses have been given pay rises well below the rate of inflation.

"We have waited a long time for this latest rise, but it is not enough. "We are only playing catch-up and this 12 per cent is an exercise to get new nurses in.

"It is not going to keep nurses in the profession.

"There is little point of attracting nurses if you are not going to keep them."

Linda stressed that she was criticising conditions in the NHS and not her own employers, the Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust.

Linda added: "The latest pay rise does not give enough recognition to experienced nurses.

"It means nurses with a lot of experience, who have an awful lot to offer to patients, will be responsible for training the newly qualified nurses. But we still get a much smaller pay rise.

"The wage rise has certainly not made me feel as though I would like to stay in the job."

Caroline Collins, Royal College of Nursing regional officer in the North West, said: "Linda's position is not uncommon.

"Recently we heard of a 55-year-old nurse who had worked many years in an accident and emergency unit who kept applying to be regraded, but she was turned down. She promptly left.

"Nurses are simply giving up and leaving the profession. They are dedicated in the job, but their expectations are very low."

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