The nurses, members of GMB Scotland and other unions, gathered outside the HQ of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as the board met inside.

The nurses are currently on Band 6 of the Agenda for Change pay scale, but believe their skills, expertise and responsibilities justify a higher grade.

The unions have lodged a formal grievance with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde claiming the long delays to the job evaluation process, which started in 2022, cannot be justified.

A consultative ballot of GMB Scotland members last week revealed 100% support for industrial action if there is no swift resolution.

At the rally, Kaylee Stainton, a district charge nurse and GMB Scotland member, said the delays have been ‘unacceptable' and have left her colleagues ‘demoralised and dismayed'.

She said: ‘We have been waiting for years for this process to be completed fairly, but have been fobbed off with one excuse after another. There is no good reason for these delays, which have added a huge amount of stress and uncertainty to what is an already challenging role.

‘We are not looking for special treatment only to be treated with the respect we deserve and for our work to be properly recognised and fairly rewarded.'

Karen Leonard, GMB organiser in NHS Scotland, added: ‘Our members fully engaged with the process of job evaluation in good faith, but that faith has not been justified. Their skills, qualifications and responsibilities have increased over the last decade to meet the complex needs of patients now living in our communities and they only want their changing role to be properly recognised and fairly rewarded.

‘This process has dragged on for year after year, when consensus on the way forward has been reached on a number of occasions only for the goalposts to be moved. After so many false starts and needless delays, the nurses' patience has been stretched to breaking point. They only want to nurse but are being driven towards industrial action by a needlessly protracted process that has left them demoralised but determined to resolve this issue.'

In response, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: ‘We fully accept that the process of review has gone on for far too long at NHSGGC and we recognise how important it is for us to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.

‘We have set out a potential way forward which would align the new job description, once evaluated, to those staff with the required qualifications and who are undertaking the role. We believe this would show fair recognition for the training and responsibilities undertaken by staff.

‘We are disappointed that we have not yet been able to reach an agreement with trade unions, however we are keen to meet again with our trade union colleagues to find a way forward for our staff and for our services.'