NHS unions will hold a crunch meeting on Tuesday over whether to accept a pay deal offered by the Government, paving the way for an end to long-running strike action.
Representatives from 14 health unions will meet through the NHS staff council to consider the offer, which consists of a 5 per cent pay rise along with a one-off lump sum.
The offer has already been accepted by members of Unison, GMB and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP).
But members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Unite have already rejected the deal, with both unions warning of further strikes irrespective of the decision of the NHS staff council.
It is expected that the majority of unions will vote in favour of the deal despite opposition from Unite and the RCN.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay has indicated that he will implement the pay rise to all health workers covered by the agreement if it is accepted.
Pat Cullen, General Secretary of the RCN, on Monday night confirmed the union would press ahead with a fresh ballot for industrial action for the next six months. The ballot will cover all of England’s hospitals, in contrast to the previous vote which was held in individual NHS trusts.
She said: “Different unions and different professions came to different, but respectable, conclusions on this pay offer.
“The deal being accepted by others does not alter the clear fact that nursing staff, as the largest part of the NHS workforce, remain in dispute with the government over unfair pay and unsafe staffing.”
Ms Cullen added: “The hundreds of nurses I met at five different hospitals had the energy and determination for the months ahead.
“The government must not underestimate their resolve. The majority of our members voted to reject the deal and to keep campaigning for something better.”
Mr Barclay accused the RCN of being “disrespectful” to other health unions by staging further strike action, adding: “I think the RCN should have waited. They’re a member of the Staff Council. They were part of the negotiations.”
Meanwhile, members of the RCN returned to work on Tuesday morning after their latest strike in protest at the pay offer.
London’s Chief Nurse, Jane Clegg, said that staffing in the capital’s hospitals had been “exceptionally low” during the strike.
“Beyond these days of action there is also an ongoing impact – as more pressure is put on NHS staff and some Londoners experience delays in their care.”
And Dr Vin Diwakar, NHS England medical director for national transformation, said there had been disruption to cancer services.
Separately, staff at the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will strike on Tuesday in another long-running dispute over pay.
