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| Why are nurses balloting for strike action? | Why are nurses balloting for strike action? |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Nurses have staged a protest outside the Scottish Parliament as the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) begins a ballot on strike action. | Nurses have staged a protest outside the Scottish Parliament as the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) begins a ballot on strike action. |
| The union is recommending its 300,000 members walk out after rejecting the Scottish government's 5% pay offer. | The union is recommending its 300,000 members walk out after rejecting the Scottish government's 5% pay offer. |
| The RCN is balloting all of its UK members for the first time in its 106-year history. | The RCN is balloting all of its UK members for the first time in its 106-year history. |
| Scotland's health secretary Humza Yousaf has said he hopes a pay deal can be agreed soon. | Scotland's health secretary Humza Yousaf has said he hopes a pay deal can be agreed soon. |
| Nurses in Edinburgh told BBC Scotland they had never faced such pressure and were prepared to strike for a better pay deal. | Nurses in Edinburgh told BBC Scotland they had never faced such pressure and were prepared to strike for a better pay deal. |
| 'It is physically and emotionally exhausting' | 'It is physically and emotionally exhausting' |
| Rhys Greig, Charge nurse at Blood Transfusion Service | Rhys Greig, Charge nurse at Blood Transfusion Service |
| In just two years since she has been a nurse, Rhys says she has already noticed big changes. | In just two years since she has been a nurse, Rhys says she has already noticed big changes. |
| "The pressure we're under is much higher, there are often staff shortages," she said. | "The pressure we're under is much higher, there are often staff shortages," she said. |
| "Pressures were beginning to mount before Covid, but the pandemic accelerated that. | "Pressures were beginning to mount before Covid, but the pandemic accelerated that. |
| "Because services are so busy, we're expected to do the same work with less staff - that's really challenging. It's exhausting physically and emotionally. | "Because services are so busy, we're expected to do the same work with less staff - that's really challenging. It's exhausting physically and emotionally. |
| "It can feel demoralising and morale is very low - to the point where people are thinking of leaving the profession. It is sad, we're losing a lot of valuable people." | "It can feel demoralising and morale is very low - to the point where people are thinking of leaving the profession. It is sad, we're losing a lot of valuable people." |
| Rhys admits she has considered leaving nursing herself. | Rhys admits she has considered leaving nursing herself. |
| "I've only been here two years, I never thought at this stage I'd be reconsidering my career for something completely different. | "I've only been here two years, I never thought at this stage I'd be reconsidering my career for something completely different. |
| "We're much worse off with the cost of living. The money I earn covers my bills and my bills only. It's a big worry | "We're much worse off with the cost of living. The money I earn covers my bills and my bills only. It's a big worry |
| "We need to be rewarded for our professionalism, we are skilled people and this is not reflected." | "We need to be rewarded for our professionalism, we are skilled people and this is not reflected." |
| 'We are demoralised and bleeding staff' | 'We are demoralised and bleeding staff' |
| Shirley Robertson, Community nurse | Shirley Robertson, Community nurse |
| Shirley Robertson has been a nurse for 34 years, but says she has never felt more undervalued. | Shirley Robertson has been a nurse for 34 years, but says she has never felt more undervalued. |
| "Right now we are demoralised, understaffed and are bleeding staff at a rate of knots," she said. | "Right now we are demoralised, understaffed and are bleeding staff at a rate of knots," she said. |
| "If we don't retain our experienced staff how can we support and nurture our newly registered nurses." | "If we don't retain our experienced staff how can we support and nurture our newly registered nurses." |
| Shirley said the profession feels "completely different" to her early career in the 1990s. | Shirley said the profession feels "completely different" to her early career in the 1990s. |
| "I remember mass recruitment. I had interviews at hospitals all over Scotland, I could have had my pick, the staffing ratios were much better. | "I remember mass recruitment. I had interviews at hospitals all over Scotland, I could have had my pick, the staffing ratios were much better. |
| "Nursing care has evolved, what we do on a day-to-day basis and the responsibility we have is incredible. I have to question whether our staffing levels are safe right now? | "Nursing care has evolved, what we do on a day-to-day basis and the responsibility we have is incredible. I have to question whether our staffing levels are safe right now? |
| "Any pay award has to be significant so we can attract people into this profession. | "Any pay award has to be significant so we can attract people into this profession. |
| "This is about protecting patients and making sure there are enough staff on the floor to give care safely and effectively." | "This is about protecting patients and making sure there are enough staff on the floor to give care safely and effectively." |
| 'Who wants to be a nurse?' | |
| Hilary Nelson, Intensive care nurse | Hilary Nelson, Intensive care nurse |
| Being a nurse is "like going to war every single day" says Hilary Nelson, who has worked in the profession for 25 years. | Being a nurse is "like going to war every single day" says Hilary Nelson, who has worked in the profession for 25 years. |
| "It is exceptionally busy, nursing staff are under immense pressure, recruitment levels are dire, it feels desperately unsafe," she said. | "It is exceptionally busy, nursing staff are under immense pressure, recruitment levels are dire, it feels desperately unsafe," she said. |
| "I was working during Covid, and it was difficult, but we are coming through the end of the pandemic and staff are tired. | "I was working during Covid, and it was difficult, but we are coming through the end of the pandemic and staff are tired. |
| "They are not getting paid enough and they are asked to do more and more. | "They are not getting paid enough and they are asked to do more and more. |
| "We are a graduate profession, we need to have great knowledge, complex skills, but this is not valued." | "We are a graduate profession, we need to have great knowledge, complex skills, but this is not valued." |
| Hilary said the cost of living crisis has put nurses under "unprecedented pressures". | Hilary said the cost of living crisis has put nurses under "unprecedented pressures". |
| "We can't make ends meet, people are cutting back, nurses are going to food banks," she said. | "We can't make ends meet, people are cutting back, nurses are going to food banks," she said. |
| "One told me she couldn't even afford to buy her child a school uniform." | "One told me she couldn't even afford to buy her child a school uniform." |
| "I've never seen nursing as bad as it is now, we are recruiting newly registered nurses and we are desperate to support them on their journey. | "I've never seen nursing as bad as it is now, we are recruiting newly registered nurses and we are desperate to support them on their journey. |
| "It is a fantastic profession, but at the end of the day, who wants to be a nurse?" | "It is a fantastic profession, but at the end of the day, who wants to be a nurse?" |
| The result of the RCN ballot is due next month. If strikes go ahead, the union said it would affect non-urgent, but not emergency care. | The result of the RCN ballot is due next month. If strikes go ahead, the union said it would affect non-urgent, but not emergency care. |
| Colin Pullman, director of RCN Scotland, said: "The Scottish government has not come back to us with an improved pay offer, our members feel they have no option but to take strike action. | Colin Pullman, director of RCN Scotland, said: "The Scottish government has not come back to us with an improved pay offer, our members feel they have no option but to take strike action. |
| "We've only done it once in 106 years, which shows the difficulties our members are going through right now." | "We've only done it once in 106 years, which shows the difficulties our members are going through right now." |
| "Nursing is no longer seen as an attractive proposition and pay is part of that. We need to make sure we have a sustainable workforce, we have had too many years of cuts." | "Nursing is no longer seen as an attractive proposition and pay is part of that. We need to make sure we have a sustainable workforce, we have had too many years of cuts." |
| Nurses urged to strike for first time over pay | Nurses urged to strike for first time over pay |
| Record number of nurses quitting the NHS | Record number of nurses quitting the NHS |
| The Scottish government said this week that Scotland's NHS would recruit 1,000 new staff to help the health service cope this winter. | The Scottish government said this week that Scotland's NHS would recruit 1,000 new staff to help the health service cope this winter. |
| Health secretary Humza Yousaf said more than £8m would be invested in recruiting 750 additional nurses, midwives and health professionals from overseas. | Health secretary Humza Yousaf said more than £8m would be invested in recruiting 750 additional nurses, midwives and health professionals from overseas. |
| Mr Yousaf said: "Any ballot for industrial action is disappointing. We are engaged with health unions and I hope we can come to an agreement on pay in the near future." | Mr Yousaf said: "Any ballot for industrial action is disappointing. We are engaged with health unions and I hope we can come to an agreement on pay in the near future." |