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| NI health strike: Thousands of nurses begin strike action | NI health strike: Thousands of nurses begin strike action |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| About 15,500 nurses in Northern Ireland have begun strike action in a dispute over pay and patient safety. | About 15,500 nurses in Northern Ireland have begun strike action in a dispute over pay and patient safety. |
| The Royal College of Nursing represents about 9,000 nurses who walked out at 08:00 GMT - the first time the union has taken strike action in its 103-year history. | The Royal College of Nursing represents about 9,000 nurses who walked out at 08:00 GMT - the first time the union has taken strike action in its 103-year history. |
| About 6,500 other nurses, who are members of Unison, walked out earlier. | About 6,500 other nurses, who are members of Unison, walked out earlier. |
| It follows weeks of industrial action by other healthcare workers over the same issues. | It follows weeks of industrial action by other healthcare workers over the same issues. |
| The RCN strike is set to last for 12 hours while many Unison health staff members, including nurses and paramedics, are staging a 24-hour strike. | The RCN strike is set to last for 12 hours while many Unison health staff members, including nurses and paramedics, are staging a 24-hour strike. |
| Speaking at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) member Nuala Murray told BBC News NI: "This was incredibly difficult. I've been nursing for 37 years. | Speaking at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) member Nuala Murray told BBC News NI: "This was incredibly difficult. I've been nursing for 37 years. |
| "This is so unprecedented for us to have to strike but nurses are so fed up, they've just had enough. | "This is so unprecedented for us to have to strike but nurses are so fed up, they've just had enough. |
| "They just feel really passionate about this. Their voices need to be heard. | "They just feel really passionate about this. Their voices need to be heard. |
| "Their patients aren't safe and they need to do something. | "Their patients aren't safe and they need to do something. |
| "We had no other choice but to strike in order for us to have our voices heard and that our patients are being nursed safely." | "We had no other choice but to strike in order for us to have our voices heard and that our patients are being nursed safely." |
| Last-ditch bid | Last-ditch bid |
| Last night leaders of the five main political parties in Northern Ireland met the head of the NI Civil Service, David Sterling, and health permanent secretary Richard Pengelly in a bid to avert the strike action. | Last night leaders of the five main political parties in Northern Ireland met the head of the NI Civil Service, David Sterling, and health permanent secretary Richard Pengelly in a bid to avert the strike action. |
| Earlier they sent a joint letter to the Northern Ireland secretary which "provides cover" for him to intervene. | Earlier they sent a joint letter to the Northern Ireland secretary which "provides cover" for him to intervene. |
| The letter to Julian Smith signed by the five party leaders said there was "collective support for the restoration of pay parity". | The letter to Julian Smith signed by the five party leaders said there was "collective support for the restoration of pay parity". |
| Following their meeting with the Civil Service, the parties wanted to meet the Northern Ireland secretary, but the Northern Ireland Office said health remained a devolved matter. | Following their meeting with the Civil Service, the parties wanted to meet the Northern Ireland secretary, but the Northern Ireland Office said health remained a devolved matter. |
| 'Ministerial decision' | 'Ministerial decision' |
| Mr Sterling rejected the argument that he and his colleagues should restore pay parity on the grounds of public interest. | Mr Sterling rejected the argument that he and his colleagues should restore pay parity on the grounds of public interest. |
| In a letter seen by BBC News NI, he told the party leaders: "This is not a question of simply needing 'political cover' or making a judgement on whether one particular pressing issue would pass a public interest test - the reality is that virtually any issue considered in isolation could do so." | In a letter seen by BBC News NI, he told the party leaders: "This is not a question of simply needing 'political cover' or making a judgement on whether one particular pressing issue would pass a public interest test - the reality is that virtually any issue considered in isolation could do so." |
| Mr Sterling said restoring parity would cause a £30m a year pressure on the Stormont budget and that cash could be instead spent on taking 120,000 people in Northern Ireland off waiting lists. | Mr Sterling said restoring parity would cause a £30m a year pressure on the Stormont budget and that cash could be instead spent on taking 120,000 people in Northern Ireland off waiting lists. |
| He added that the decision is a choice which should be taken by ministers. | |
| Northern Ireland currently has the worst hospital waiting lists in the UK and last month hospital waiting times reached an all-time high according to figures from Stormont's Department of Health. | |
| One in every six people in Northern Ireland is currently waiting for a first appointment with a consultant and more than 100,000 of them have been waiting for more than a year. | |
| On average, there is a four-year wait for a knee or hip operation. | |
| In emergency departments, no patient should wait more than 12 hours for treatment, but in September 2019 almost 3,500 patients waited longer. | |
| 'Safe services' | 'Safe services' |
| Dr Tony Stevens, chief executive of the Northern Health Trust, told BBC News NI that while the health trusts will be delivering a "much reduced" service, they will be able to deliver services safely. | Dr Tony Stevens, chief executive of the Northern Health Trust, told BBC News NI that while the health trusts will be delivering a "much reduced" service, they will be able to deliver services safely. |
| "Speaking on behalf of all of the trust chief executives, we along with the trade unions and staff have been working really hard in the last three days," he said. | "Speaking on behalf of all of the trust chief executives, we along with the trade unions and staff have been working really hard in the last three days," he said. |
| "We are satisfied that we will be delivering a much reduced service, but we will be able to deliver critical services safely during the next 24 hours." | "We are satisfied that we will be delivering a much reduced service, but we will be able to deliver critical services safely during the next 24 hours." |
| BBC News NI'S health correspondent Marie-Louise Connolly said the crisis did not happen overnight and had been years in the making. | |
| She added that nurses say they have been putting up with these shortages for years and today a light is being shone on it. | |
| 2,800 unfilled nursing posts | 2,800 unfilled nursing posts |
| According to the RCN, nurses' pay within the health service continues to fall behind England, Scotland and Wales. | According to the RCN, nurses' pay within the health service continues to fall behind England, Scotland and Wales. |
| It argues that the real value of nurses' pay here has fallen by 15% over the past eight years. | It argues that the real value of nurses' pay here has fallen by 15% over the past eight years. |
| There are just under 2,800 unfilled nursing posts within the health service in Northern Ireland. | There are just under 2,800 unfilled nursing posts within the health service in Northern Ireland. |
| The RCN estimates that a similar level of unfilled posts exists within nursing homes. | The RCN estimates that a similar level of unfilled posts exists within nursing homes. |
| The nursing vacancy rate in Northern Ireland is 13%, compared with about 11% in England and 6% in Scotland. | The nursing vacancy rate in Northern Ireland is 13%, compared with about 11% in England and 6% in Scotland. |
| This means that for every eight nurses who should be working in Northern Ireland, one is missing. | This means that for every eight nurses who should be working in Northern Ireland, one is missing. |
| Nurses are demanding better workforce planning. | Nurses are demanding better workforce planning. |
| Last year, the local health service spent £52m on agency nurses to fill these gaps in the workforce. | Last year, the local health service spent £52m on agency nurses to fill these gaps in the workforce. |
| That money, the RCN argues, could be better managed to train and pay health service nurses. | That money, the RCN argues, could be better managed to train and pay health service nurses. |
| Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster from the picket line, community nurse Karen Bowes said the strike was a "very sad day" in her 25-year nursing career. | Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster from the picket line, community nurse Karen Bowes said the strike was a "very sad day" in her 25-year nursing career. |
| "We didn't come to this decision lightly and nurses have a heavy heart undertaking these steps," the RCN member said. | "We didn't come to this decision lightly and nurses have a heavy heart undertaking these steps," the RCN member said. |
| "Our staffing levels are not safe - patients are not safe on a normal day," Ms Bowes added. | "Our staffing levels are not safe - patients are not safe on a normal day," Ms Bowes added. |
| She added that patients she had spoken in advance of the strike were "very supportive" of the action. | She added that patients she had spoken in advance of the strike were "very supportive" of the action. |
| Ms Bowes urged politicians to step in and sort out the dispute. | Ms Bowes urged politicians to step in and sort out the dispute. |
| Talks between management are continuing to ensure critical departments including cancer services and emergency departments are covered. | Talks between management are continuing to ensure critical departments including cancer services and emergency departments are covered. |
| A spokesperson for Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) said major challenges were expected across all health and social care services on Wednesday. | A spokesperson for Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) said major challenges were expected across all health and social care services on Wednesday. |
| It also advised that if patients or service users have not been contacted about their Trust then they should attend their appointment/ service as normal. | It also advised that if patients or service users have not been contacted about their Trust then they should attend their appointment/ service as normal. |
| All emergency departments remain open, but "significant pressure" was expected within the departments. | All emergency departments remain open, but "significant pressure" was expected within the departments. |
| "The priority will be on the treating emergency and life threatening conditions first. Patients with less urgent conditions may have to wait for lengthy periods," said the spokesperson. | "The priority will be on the treating emergency and life threatening conditions first. Patients with less urgent conditions may have to wait for lengthy periods," said the spokesperson. |
| The heads of all of Northern Ireland's health trusts have stated the current crisis in the service has been "years in the making". | The heads of all of Northern Ireland's health trusts have stated the current crisis in the service has been "years in the making". |
| Are you a patient who will be affected by the strike? Are you a nurse on strike? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you a patient who will be affected by the strike? Are you a nurse on strike? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or please use the form below: | Or please use the form below: |