NURSES at Doddington Hospital were fighting for a fair pay deal back in 1974. They were photographed signing a petition supporting the national Fair play for Nurses campaign. The campaign, aimed at improving conditions as well as pay, was crammed with n

NURSES at Doddington Hospital were fighting for a fair pay deal back in 1974.

They were photographed signing a petition supporting the national "Fair play for Nurses" campaign.

The campaign, aimed at improving conditions as well as pay, was crammed with names of hospital staff and the public who thought the nurses were getting a raw deal.

Doddington Hospital lecturer Harold Davis also wrote to Isle of Ely MP Clement Freud stating their case.

He said: "Nursing has always been considered a vocation but vocation won't pay the electricity bills."

Mr Davis said patients were suffering because of staff shortages and there was no incentive to join the profession when girls could earn twice as much working as secretaries.

A student nurse entering the profession aged 18 was then earning a basic wage of £816 a year with a top rate for enrolled nurses of £1,383.