HUNDREDS of NHS workers have marched through central London to demand better wages.

Pictures show campaigners with banners which read "stop clapping, start paying," "priceless yet penniless" and "640 healthcare workers dead, blood on their hands".

Demonstrators began a march to Trafalgar Square after a two-minute silence in honour of 640 healthcare workers who have died during the pandemic.

The protest comes after nurses were excluded from the wage increase for around 900,000 public sector workers announced in July because they are in the final year of a three-year agreement.

The pay increase does not apply to junior doctors after they agreed a four-year deal last year.

Wimbledon Times:

Alia Butt, 33, an NHS psychotherapist in Essex and chair of Nurses Staff Voices, said: "We have simply had enough.

"The money is there. They are simply just not providing it to NHS staff.

"It turns out that the only way to ensure the NHS is able to continue to function is by the sheer force of organising."

She added: "The Government clearly has not got a clue about what it is doing and that is very scary.

Nurses saved the lives of the Prime Minister. What more do we need to do to get paid properly? It's bizarre."

Wimbledon Times:

Jordan Rivera, 43, an occupational therapist in Hackney, east London, said many NHS workers are living paycheque to paycheque.

She said: "Working that hard when you are already exhausted from fighting the pandemic is an outrage.

How can we be expected to work through a second wave when we are physically and emotionally exhausted and on top of that, we are worried about paying our bills?"

Wimbledon Times:

Protests calling for a 15% increase in pay for NHS workers were also held in Manchester, Sheffield, Brighton and Bournemouth.

To cheers, demonstrators began chanting "Boris Johnson hear us shout, pay us properly or get out" as they marched through the streets of London.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sent his support, he said:

Grassroots groups including NHS Workers Say No to Public Sector Pay Inequality, NHS Staff Voices, Keep Our NHS Public campaign, Nurses United UK and Unite Guy's and St Thomas Hospital Branch have backed the protest.

Rachel Harrison, national officer for the GMB union, said: "Loyal and dedicated NHS workers have been let down in the three-year NHS pay deal - which GMB union opposed.

"Their pay, terms and conditions have been driven down for years.

"Many staff have worked throughout the pandemic and now their efforts need to be recognised with a pay award that reflects their commitment and the real-terms losses they have suffered during a decade of austerity."

Meanwhile, Unite said NHS workers should receive a pay rise of 15% or £3,000, whichever is greater.

Wimbledon Times:

National officer for health Colenzo Jarrett-Thorpe said: "Hundreds of health and social care staff have lost their lives in the continuing battle against Covid-19 which has heightened the deep appreciation that the public has for the NHS and those who work in it.

This public esteem for NHS workers should be reflected by the Government which needs to respond by opening pay discussions, following our claim and those of our sister unions."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our frontline staff, particularly during the pandemic.

"NHS staff are currently benefiting from the final year of a three-year pay deal, agreed with trade unions, which has delivered year-on-year pay increases, such as increasing the starting salary for a newly qualified nurse by 12% by 2021.

"The independent NHS Pay Review Body makes recommendations to Government on pay increases for NHS staff, including nurses, and we will consider their advice when we receive it, while continuing to listen to our valued staff and the trade unions to ensure everyone is rewarded fairly."