PM vows to probe Pauline Cafferkey missing out on £4k bonus

Scots nurse Pauline Cafferkey, who nearly died after contracting Ebola while treating patients in Sierra Leone, has not been given a £4,000 bonus many of her colleagues received, Parliament has heard.

Pauline Cafferkey. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

David Cameron pledged to look into the issue after it was raised in Prime Minster’s Questions.

The nurse, form South Lanarkshire, has twice had to be treated at a specialist infectious diseases unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London after being infected with the virus.

Responding to the issue, which was raised by the nurse’s MP Margaret Ferrier, the PM said: “I’m very pleased you have raised this issue. Pauline Cafferkey is one of the bravest people I have ever met and it was a great privilege to have her come to Number 10 Downing Street. I’ll look specifically into the issue of the bonus, I wasn’t aware of that issue and I will get back to her about it.”

His remarks came after the SNP’s Ms Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) said NHS volunteers had missed out on the payments given to Public Health England staff.

She said: “She and around 200 NHS volunteers through UK Med have not received an equivalent bonus of £4,000 that was awarded to 250 Public Health England staff. Will the Prime Minster agree to meet with me to discuss how DFID can rectify this
situation?”