Intensive care units, chemotherapy and dialysis treatments will be among NHS services exempt from the planned nurses’ strike this month.
The Royal College of Nursing confirmed areas excluded from its first ever UK strike on December 15 and 20.
As many as 100,000 NHS nurses will walk out in the first of a series of NHS strikes during an expected winter of discontent.
Some 76 NHS trusts and services in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that will see nurses down tools.
However a letter from the RCN to NHS leaders has outlined which services have been exempted as part of a commitment to a “life-preserving care model” during industrial action.
Other services, which do not meet these criteria, may be reduced to a “Christmas Day” or “night duty” staffing levels.
RCN General Secretary Pat Cullen, said: “Every nurse feels a heavy weight of responsibility to make this strike safe.
“Patients are already at great risk and we will not add to it. This list of exemptions shows how seriously we take our commitment and it should put patients’ minds at ease.
“Nursing staff do not want to take this action but ministers have chosen strikes over negotiations. They can stop this at any point.”
Other services which have been exempted include “high dependency” units, neonatal and paediatric intensive care.
Strikes will take place at 53 trusts or services in England, at every NHS employer in Wales except one (12) and throughout Northern Ireland (11).
Possible strikes in Scotland are on hold after the devolved government reopened pay talks and a separate pay offer was made.
NHS England had written a letter to all health leaders setting out priority services to maintain during strikes to enable “minimum Bank Holiday level of service”.
It follows a decade of below inflation pay awards for NHS staff and a 4-5% deal this year well below RPI inflation of 12.6%.
The RCN is demanding a pay award 5% above inflation while other unions are calling for pay to match inflation.
In December nurses and other nursing staff will take action at half of the locations in England where the legal mandate was reached for strikes.
The RCN says a greater proportion of its 300,000 membership will take part in more strikes in January if the Tories fail to open talk on pay.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: “I’m hugely grateful for the hard work and dedication of NHS staff and deeply regret some will be taking industrial action – which is in nobody’s best interests as we approach a challenging winter.
“Our economic circumstances mean unions’ demands are not affordable - each additional 1% pay rise for all staff on the Agenda for Change contract would cost around £700 million a year.
“Our priority is keeping patients safe during any strikes and the NHS has tried and tested plans to minimise disruption and ensure emergency services continue to operate.”
