The Health Secretary has said his “door is open” to meet with nursing union officials ahead of strikes later this month.
Steve Barclay made the claim as he faced suggestions from Labour he was “using nurses as a scapegoat to avoid the blame” for the difficult winter facing the NHS.
Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are set to take industrial action on December 15 and 20, after voting in favour in a ballot.
Nurses and other nursing staff will take action at half of the locations in England where the legal mandate was reached for strikes, every NHS employer except one in Wales and throughout Northern Ireland. The strike will include up to 100,000 nurses.
The RCN has said that despite this year’s pay award of £1,400, experienced nurses are worse off by 20% in real terms due to successive below-inflation awards since 2010.
It is calling for a pay rise of 5% above RPI inflation, saying the economic argument for paying nursing staff fairly is clear when billions of pounds are being spent on agency staff to plug workforce gaps.
The chairman of the Conservative party (Nadhim Zahawi) claims that NHS strikes are exactly what Vladimir Putin wants, so why isn't the Health Secretary negotiating to prevent them from going ahead?— Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting told the Commons: “The chairman of the Conservative party (Nadhim Zahawi) claims that NHS strikes are exactly what Vladimir Putin wants, so why isn’t the Health Secretary negotiating to prevent them from going ahead?”
Mr Barclay replied: “I have seen him make this claim across the media a number of times. Just to reassure him, my door is open. I have been very clear with the trade unions I am available.
“I am available to see them this afternoon or tomorrow. It is not me that set a precondition on those talks.
“There is a number of issues when I met with the trade unions that they raised. Not only pay but around safety of staff, and other conditions, the estate, tech and so forth and I am very happy to engage with the trade unions on those points.”
Mr Streeting replied: “We get the warm words about wanting to negotiate but a government source briefed the Times last week that his plan is to wait for public sentiment to turn against striking nurses.”
There is a number of issues when I met with the trade unions that they raised. Not only pay but around safety of staff, and other conditions, the estate, tech and so forth and I am very happy to engage with the trade unions on those points— Health secretary Steve Barclay
He added: “He knows this winter is going to be the most difficult the NHS has ever faced and he is using nurses as a scapegoat to avoid the blame. That is the shameful truth isn’t it?”
The Health Secretary responded: “The point is he himself does not support the 19% pay demand of the trade unions. So, he stands here saying we should be talking while himself not accepting their proposals.”
Elsewhere in the debate, Labour’s Ruth Cadbury (Brentford and Isleworth) described a government consultation on “crazy doctor pension rules” as “too little, too late”.
Referring to a GP, she said: “She told me the pension rules means she either has to retire, work part-time or emigrate, which is hardly going to help her patients to get appointments with her.
“After hinting of a change on doctors’ pensions this summer, the Government is only now announcing a consultation that will last until next spring, so there’s going to be no change in these crazy doctor pension rules until next summer at the earliest. Is this not too little, too late?”
Mr Barclay replied: “Firstly, in terms of the numbers it’s worth reminding the House there’s 3% more doctors this year than last year. We’ve got over 2,300 more full-time doctors in general practice and, as I say, we are recruiting more.
“On the point of pensions, she’s absolutely right that that is a material issue, that is why we have launched the consultation and we’re working with Treasury colleagues to address those concerns as quickly as possible.”
