While strike action has caused disruption to the NHS this winter, people from the Blyth Valley to Darlington have sent their support to the nurses and ambulance service staff who have walked out - with some thanking the people who saved their lives.
Across this week and last, nurses who are part of the Royal College of Nursing have spent two days on strike. Ambulance service staff, including paramedics, have also spent a day on the picket line as three unions carried out industrial action. A further day of strikes is currently planned by GMB-affiliated ambulance service staff on December 28.
On the picket lines outside of hospitals and ambulance stations across the North East, striking workers have consistently affirmed that the most important thing in their mind is the safety of patients. Though the strikes are over a pay dispute, nurses and paramedics have told ChronicleLive how they see the issues are intertwined - as poor pay is contributing to the staff shortages the NHS faces.
Now, in response to the strikes a range of people from across our region have used the 38 Degrees campaign group to send messages of support to those frontline health workers who have chosen to strike over the past week. Overall, more than 66,000 members of the public have added their names to an open letter produced by the group. And 3,500 of those people left heartfelt messages.
Some, like Brenda Bell from Gateshead, used messages to thank the NHS for lifesaving care. Brenda said: "Without you, I wouldn't be here to wish you all well, and success in your strike action. It’s sad that it’s had to come to this. You deserve better.”
Others like John Morris from the Blyth Valley added: "The NHS saved my life on several occasions. I fully support you wonderful people. Wishing you all the luck in the world, get what you deserve."
And Susan Rackstraw from Washington went one better, saying that the NHS and its "wonderful staff" had "quite literally saved my life on three separate occasions". She added: "I have witnessed the decline in morale of NHS workers over the years as they have become overworked and underfunded.
“The fact that some nurses are having to use food banks is a disgrace. I have every respect for all NHS workers especially nurses and completely agree with their decision to take strike action. Shame on the government for bringing it to this. Fund our NHS properly. Pay our nurses and other NHS workers a decent wage."
The messages echo what many supporters have said out on the picket lines. With people like former Freeman Hospital patient Carl Brannen among those to deliver supplies - in the shape of a box of Heroes - to the striking workers last week.
The latest YouGov polling - released during the ambulance service strike - showed that when it comes to the ambulance strikes, 54% of the public blamed the Government. The figure for the nursing strikes is 56%. That's compared to just 8% who blamed the workers themselves.
Veronica Hawking, 38 Degrees' head of campaigns, added: "We know that our dedicated NHS workers don’t want to strike - but working in a service in crisis, they have little choice." She highlighted long waiting lists - with 7m people waiting for treatment - and how staff are "leaving in droves" and turning to food banks.
She added: "While our Government tries to demonise NHS workers for this decision, and pit patients against them, we hope our letter will show how many of us are standing side-by-side with them. Patients and the public are demanding better care from our NHS and better care for our NHS staff. We clapped for them during the pandemic, and now we’ve got their backs as they fight for the pay and conditions they deserve."
Health Secretary Steve Barclay on Wednesday argued that there is now a need to “look forward” to next year’s pay process as he declined to review the current offer to striking workers. The minister who has accused trade unions of making a “conscious decision” to “inflict harm” on patients, said there was a need to “look forward” to next year’s pay process after he declined to review the current offer.
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “We’re already three quarters of the way through this year so what you’d be saying is, go all the way back retrospectively to April to unpick what has been an independent decision by the pay review body. But we’re already now under way in terms of next year’s pay review process, the remit letters have gone out."
The full text of the open letter and the latest signature numbers can be found at
https://act.38degrees.org.uk/act/ps-nhs-strikes-letter-1222
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