Nurses are heading for a clash with the government over a 15 per cent pay demand.

Nursing unions are seeking the double-digit cash increase to give the profession starting pay parity with teachers and police officers.

The move comes as other public sector professionals seek inflation busting pay boosts - including a 40 per cent demand from fire-fighters and 10 per cent from teachers - from the government's multi-billion injection into public services.

Nursing unions argue that with health service spending due to rise 43 per cent by 2008 "it is clear that there is sufficient money to enable the NHS to pay its staff fairly and reasonably in the future".

Ministers are pointing to Gordon Brown's Budget warning to public service workers: "Sustained commitment to better public services demands responsibility in setting public sector pay".