Leeds nurses will be going on strike for 24 hours, taking part in national industrial action with the Royal College of Nurse (RCN).
Nurses are demonstrating over pay and working conditions, with the hopes government ministers will open negotiations on NHS pay. The RCN has said the value of salaries for experienced nurses today are 20 per cent lower in real terms due to successive below-inflation pay awards since 2010.
Plus, low pay is pushing nursing staff out of the profession and contributing to record vacancies, the RCN has added. Nurses will strike for 12 hours on both Monday, February 6, and Tuesday, February 7, from 8am to 8pm each day. The RCN held its first-ever national strike last month (December).
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The RCN in Leeds released the following statement, it said: "This will impact on services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. During strike action, urgent and emergency treatment will be our priority.
"We are working closely with union representatives to ensure plans are in place to maintain safe care for patients, while facilitating and respecting the right of those staff who wish to take legal industrial action. If we have not contacted you, please attend your appointment as planned.
"We will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled due to strike action. We will be re-arranging any postponed appointments as a priority. We appreciate this situation is frustrating for patients affected and apologise for any inconvenience caused.
"Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases - when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk. On days where there is strike action, patients should only call 999 if it is a medical or mental health emergency (when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk)."
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