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NI health strike: Thousands of nurses begin strike action NI health strike: Thousands of nurses go on strike
(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."
Many appointments and treatments have been cancelled because of the strike, and a number of minor injury units are closed.
The Health and Social Care Board said all emergency departments will remain open as normal, but will be under significant pressure
'Undervalued'
Mairead Meenan, a staff nurse at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry, said the "fair pay" issue had brought her to the picket line.
"Everybody wants equal pay and equal rights," she said, adding that nurses in Northern Ireland felt "undervalued" compared to their counterparts doing the same jobs in Great Britain.
She called on politicians to "start talking" and sort the dispute out.
"You get paid loads and loads of money and you would not last 10 minutes in our job" Ms Meenan said.
Health workers say they want to be paid the same as their counterparts in England, Scotland and Wales.
Unions agreed a 6.5% three-year pay rise for NHS staff - excluding doctors - last year, but it was not implemented in Northern Ireland because parity with the rest of the UK was broken by the devolved government in 2014.
The issue has not been looked at again because Northern Ireland has not had a devolved government since 2017.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the solution to the strike was to restore devolved government.
He said: "I want to see it up and running so they can get on and run their health service, the way that we do."
2,800 unfilled nursing posts
The RCN argues 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.
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.
This means that for every eight nurses who should be working in Northern Ireland, one is missing.
Worst waiting lists
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 the 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.
Last-ditch bidLast-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. On Tuesday 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. in the absence of devolved government.
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'
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."
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.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.
"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.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.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 Speaking from the picket line, community nurse Karen Bowes said the strike was a "very sad day" in her 25-year nursing career.
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.
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 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.
Nurses are demanding better workforce planning.
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.
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 actions and 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.
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.
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