The Royal College of Nursing has announced its biggest walkout by staff amid the ongoing pay dispute in England. Members are to stage a 48-hour walkout, running continuously from 6am on March 1.
The college, which accused the UK government of refusing to engage in negotiations, also said it will increase financial support for its members who lose wages by taking industrial action. Previous action only took place during the day shift, for 12 hours each time.
For the first time, the RCN will now involve nursing staff working in key areas, such as emergency departments, intensive care units, cancer care and other services that were previously exempt. Locally, the North West Ambulance Service Trust, the Wrightington Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust will be impacted.
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A strike last week saw the RCN agree 5,000 exemptions at a local level through committees of NHS hospitals and RCN staff, but this process will be stopped for the upcoming March dates.
The RCN said it was continuing discussions with the NHS at a national level as part of its commitment to 'life and limb' care. It will reduce services to an 'absolute minimum' and ask hospitals to rely on members of other unions and other clinical professions instead.
RCN general secretary Pat Cullen, said: “It is with a heavy heart that I have today asked even more nursing staff to join this dispute. These strikes will not just run for longer and involve more people but will leave no area of the NHS unaffected. 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: “Failure to provide cover during strike action for key services like cancer care is a significant escalation from the Royal College of Nursing that will risk patient safety. We are working closely with NHS England on contingency plans, but this action will inevitably cause further disruption for patients.
“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.”
Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive at NHS Providers said: “This is the most worrying escalation of strikes yet. With more than 140,000 appointments already postponed as a result of the walkouts, this is a step no one wants to take. A continuous 48-hour strike with no exceptions in A&E, intensive care units or cancer care services will be a huge blow – especially as even more trusts will be affected this time.
“With further strikes by ambulance workers planned in the coming days and weeks, and junior doctors’ walkouts also likely, trust leaders are now in a near-impossible position. They’re deeply concerned the escalation could hamper their efforts to tackle care backlogs and compromise continuity of care for some.
“Without a resolution, this ongoing dispute could lead to serious, long-term damage to the NHS. We understand that frontline staff feel they’ve had no choice but to take this action due to challenges including the high cost of living, workforce shortages and below-inflation pay rises.
“Trust leaders will be working flat out to ensure patient safety and provision of vital services but they can only do so much by themselves. The Government needs to talk to the unions urgently about pay for this financial year.”
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