MORE than a thousand nurses are demanding promotions amid claims that they have been saddled with the work of more senior staff members in a campaign which could cost Scotland's largest health board upwards of £1 million.

In its largest ever re-grading initiative to date, Unison said more than a thousand nurse auxiliaries and healthcare support workers in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde were being underpaid as Band 2 staff while actually carrying out the duties of a Band 3 nurse. Band 2 staff earn around £1200-1800 less than a Band 3 employee.

Unison, Scotland's largest NHS union, is calling on the health board to correct the disparity after lodging a list of 240 grievances detailing clinical duties such as taking cardiac readings and blood pressure which were being carried out by their members despite not being part of their banding. Band 2 covers "personal care" duties such as bathing and feeding patients.

The action is part of a pay maximisation strategy after NHS pay increases were capped again at one per cent.

Matt McLaughlin, head of health for Unison, said: "Unison remains absolutely committed to scrapping the pay cap in the NHS, but we know that there are many workers across the NHS who are working way above the level that they are paid for, our local branch have therefore chosen to take this issue head on by identifying hundreds of members across NHSGGC who are working above their pay grade and assisting them to pursue re-grading claims.”

Unison rep Eleanor Harvey added: “Staff shortages, budget cuts and a series of redesign programmes have resulted in many Band 2 Nurse Assistants taking on ‘clinical’ duties such as taking bloods, blood pressures, cardiac readings, escorting patients and writing in patient notes. All of these tasks, and more, carry significant additional responsibilities and our members are entitled to maximise their pay.”

A spokeswoman for NHSGGC said: "A small number of health care support workers in theatres at two of our hospitals requested a re-evaluation of their job description.

"These roles have now been re-evaluated and staff are in discussions with their line managers in relation to outcomes from the job evaluation process."