Nurses who work in A&E, intensive care and cancer care in Nottingham are set to join colleagues in the latest round of strikes. In an escalation of industrial action over pay, members of the Royal College of Nursing will strike for 48 hours from 6am on Wednesday, March 1.
Staff at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH), Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation and NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire will join workers at more than 120 NHS organisations across England. For the first time, the RCN will involve nursing staff working in emergency departments, intensive care units and cancer care, including at Nottingham's City Hospital and Queen's Medical Centre.
Previous strikes have also only taken place during the day shift. RCN general secretary, Pat Cullen, said the decision had been made "with a heavy heart".
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"These strikes will not just run for longer and involve more people but will leave no area of the NHS unaffected," she said. Patients and nurses alike did not want this to happen.
“By refusing to negotiate with nurses, the Prime Minister is pushing even more people into the strike. He must listen to NHS leaders and not let this go ahead. I will do whatever I can to ensure patient safety is protected. At first, we asked thousands to keep working during the strikes but it is clear that is only prolonging the dispute. This action must not be in vain – the Prime Minister owes them an answer.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said the latest escalation of involving key service workers would risk patient safety. “We are working closely with NHS England on contingency plans, but this action will inevitably cause further disruption for patients," he said.
“I’ve had a series of discussions with unions, including the RCN, about what is fair and affordable for the coming year, as well as wider concerns around conditions and workload.”
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