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| Nurses across UK back strikes in pay dispute | Nurses across UK back strikes in pay dispute |
| (3 months later) | |
| Nurses across the UK have voted to strike over pay with action expected to start by the end of the year. | Nurses across the UK have voted to strike over pay with action expected to start by the end of the year. |
| The walkout will involve Royal College of Nursing members in more than half of hospitals and community teams, but emergency care will still be staffed. | The walkout will involve Royal College of Nursing members in more than half of hospitals and community teams, but emergency care will still be staffed. |
| Nurses in every service in Scotland and Northern Ireland voted for action. In Wales all but one health board did. | Nurses in every service in Scotland and Northern Ireland voted for action. In Wales all but one health board did. |
| But in England the turnout was too low in nearly half of NHS trusts for strike action to take place. | But in England the turnout was too low in nearly half of NHS trusts for strike action to take place. |
| Nurse strike: Why NHS is on brink of first UK walkout | Nurse strike: Why NHS is on brink of first UK walkout |
| Why are so many workers going on strike? | Why are so many workers going on strike? |
| RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: "Anger has become action - our members are saying enough is enough." | RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: "Anger has become action - our members are saying enough is enough." |
| She said nurses had been getting a "raw deal" on pay for years. | She said nurses had been getting a "raw deal" on pay for years. |
| "Ministers must look in the mirror and ask how long they will put nursing staff through this." | "Ministers must look in the mirror and ask how long they will put nursing staff through this." |
| The strike will be the first time UK-wide action is taken by RCN members in its 106-year history. | The strike will be the first time UK-wide action is taken by RCN members in its 106-year history. |
| It comes after the government in England and Wales gave NHS staff an average of 4.75% rise this year - with the lowest paid getting more. | It comes after the government in England and Wales gave NHS staff an average of 4.75% rise this year - with the lowest paid getting more. |
| Scotland has offered a flat rate of just over £2,200, which means a newly qualified nurse would get around 8% more. | Scotland has offered a flat rate of just over £2,200, which means a newly qualified nurse would get around 8% more. |
| In Northern Ireland, nurses are yet to receive a pay award because there is no working government. | In Northern Ireland, nurses are yet to receive a pay award because there is no working government. |
| The RCN, which represents about two-thirds of nurses in the NHS, has asked for 5% above the RPI rate of inflation, which stands at over 12%. | The RCN, which represents about two-thirds of nurses in the NHS, has asked for 5% above the RPI rate of inflation, which stands at over 12%. |
| Ms Cullen said members would ensure patients did not come to harm by continuing to provide urgent and emergency care during the strikes. | Ms Cullen said members would ensure patients did not come to harm by continuing to provide urgent and emergency care during the strikes. |
| This will see services such as intensive care fully staffed, while other services, such as cancer care, are also likely to be given some protection. | This will see services such as intensive care fully staffed, while other services, such as cancer care, are also likely to be given some protection. |
| But the action will affect routine services, such as planned operations like knee and hip replacements, district nursing and mental health care. | But the action will affect routine services, such as planned operations like knee and hip replacements, district nursing and mental health care. |
| It comes after the waiting list for hospital treatment has topped 7 million in England - a record high. | It comes after the waiting list for hospital treatment has topped 7 million in England - a record high. |
| Ms Cullen said the walkout will be "as much for patients as it is for nurses" as staffing shortages were already compromising care. | Ms Cullen said the walkout will be "as much for patients as it is for nurses" as staffing shortages were already compromising care. |
| 'I felt I had no choice but to vote yes' | 'I felt I had no choice but to vote yes' |
| Senior hospital staff nurse Jodie Elliott felt she had no choice but to vote for strike action. | Senior hospital staff nurse Jodie Elliott felt she had no choice but to vote for strike action. |
| She has opted out of the NHS staff pension because she could not afford to make the monthly contributions. | She has opted out of the NHS staff pension because she could not afford to make the monthly contributions. |
| "My family were horrified, but it was the choice of that or going into debt each month. I just could not afford it. | "My family were horrified, but it was the choice of that or going into debt each month. I just could not afford it. |
| "My pay has not kept up with inflation for 10 years and, given the cost of living now, it has got really bad." | "My pay has not kept up with inflation for 10 years and, given the cost of living now, it has got really bad." |
| Ms Elliott, who is a local RCN rep, says she cannot even afford to replace clothes and shoes when they are worn out. | Ms Elliott, who is a local RCN rep, says she cannot even afford to replace clothes and shoes when they are worn out. |
| "My mother takes me shopping. That is ridiculous for a grown woman in her 30s." | "My mother takes me shopping. That is ridiculous for a grown woman in her 30s." |
| She said the squeeze on finances was driving nurses away from the profession. "Every shift we are short of staff. Care is becoming unsafe." | She said the squeeze on finances was driving nurses away from the profession. "Every shift we are short of staff. Care is becoming unsafe." |
| The RCN said in services where the turnout threshold was not met the vast majority of those who took part supported walking out. | The RCN said in services where the turnout threshold was not met the vast majority of those who took part supported walking out. |
| At least 50% of union members need to take part in a strike ballot for it to count. | At least 50% of union members need to take part in a strike ballot for it to count. |
| Some nurses at local management bodies and national organisations including NHS England will also be striking after voting in favour. | Some nurses at local management bodies and national organisations including NHS England will also be striking after voting in favour. |
| The government in England had urged nurses to consider the impact on patients. | The government in England had urged nurses to consider the impact on patients. |
| It pointed out it had given a pay rise in line with what had been recommended by the independent NHS Pay Review body. | It pointed out it had given a pay rise in line with what had been recommended by the independent NHS Pay Review body. |
| And that came after NHS staff were given a 3% pay increase last year while the rest of the public sector had a pay freeze in recognition of their work during the pandemic. | And that came after NHS staff were given a 3% pay increase last year while the rest of the public sector had a pay freeze in recognition of their work during the pandemic. |
| 'I worry about risk to patients so voted no' | 'I worry about risk to patients so voted no' |
| Mental health nurse Ian Summers was one of a minority of nurses who took part in the ballot to vote against taking strike action. | Mental health nurse Ian Summers was one of a minority of nurses who took part in the ballot to vote against taking strike action. |
| Mr Summers, who works in Cornwall, said: "I voted no because I felt we were going to put patients at risk. | Mr Summers, who works in Cornwall, said: "I voted no because I felt we were going to put patients at risk. |
| "During this nursing crisis, if we reduce the levels even further with strike action the only outcome can be patient safety. | "During this nursing crisis, if we reduce the levels even further with strike action the only outcome can be patient safety. |
| "There's a crisis in the UK regarding nurses. Nursing numbers on wards are at critical levels. | "There's a crisis in the UK regarding nurses. Nursing numbers on wards are at critical levels. |
| "If we strike, what's going to happen to people going to hospitals, people in the community - it frightens me because the risk is already there." | "If we strike, what's going to happen to people going to hospitals, people in the community - it frightens me because the risk is already there." |
| Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents health managers, urged the government and RCN to get back to the negotiating table. | Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents health managers, urged the government and RCN to get back to the negotiating table. |
| "The last thing anyone wants is a 'war of attrition' playing out over many months." | "The last thing anyone wants is a 'war of attrition' playing out over many months." |
| England Health Secretary Steve Barclay said he "deeply regretted" that some union members had voted for action. | England Health Secretary Steve Barclay said he "deeply regretted" that some union members had voted for action. |
| "Our priority is keeping patients safe during any strikes. The NHS has tried and tested plans in place to minimise disruption and ensure emergency services continue to operate." | "Our priority is keeping patients safe during any strikes. The NHS has tried and tested plans in place to minimise disruption and ensure emergency services continue to operate." |
| But Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said the UK government should "put its hand in its pocket" to provide more funding for pay, saying: "I don't have any more money." | But Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said the UK government should "put its hand in its pocket" to provide more funding for pay, saying: "I don't have any more money." |
| Related Topics | |
| Nursing | |
| NHS | |
| Strike action |