Biggest NHS strike ever begins: up to 40,000 nurses and ambulance workers picket lines

Nurses have picketed the biggest day of strikes in the NHS’ 75-year history as ongoing disputes over pay and conditions continue to escalate.

The action, coordinated by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), will take place in 73 trusts across England, where up to 40,000 will go on strike.

More than 11,000 ambulance workers, who are members of the GMB and Unite unions, are also staging strikes and meeting services across England and Northern Ireland.

Health leaders have warned of “significant disruption” due to the scale of the action, while ministers have warned patients’ lives will be put at risk.

NHS medics on the picket line outside the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham on February 6

The RCN is asking for an 18.4 per cent pay rise – based on the current rate of inflation. The average nurses’ salary would rise from £37,000 to £43,800.

But the union said it would halt the current strike action if the government meets with its representative to discuss pay.

In a letter to the Prime Minister over the weekend, RCN chief executive Pat Cullen said: “Please address this current impasse. I have made it clear that starting negotiations and making meaningful offers can avert strikes.’

The Government has insisted her offer of around 4 per cent, or £1,400, is all she can afford. The deal, awarded last year, was backed by the NHS Pay Review Body.

On Friday, the Welsh Government offered NHS staff an additional three per cent pay rise for the current financial year. In response, the RCN canceled its planned strikes across the nation this week.

No strikes are planned in Scotland as the government negotiates with the union.

Writing to Rishi Sunak, Ms Cullen said: “Your government is looking increasingly isolated as it refuses to resume discussions on the 2022-23 NHS pay premium.

“As a result, strike action for England remains – with tens of thousands of nurses losing wages to make sure you hear their voice. It must not be in vain.

“It will be the biggest day of industrial action in the 75-year history of the NHS. Nurses find it a sobering realization how far they have been pushed to protect patient care and secure some respect for the nursing profession.

“I urge you to reshape your government in the public eye and demonstrate that it stands with the hardworking, decent taxpayers. There couldn’t be an easier way to demonstrate this commitment than to end the nursing strike quickly.”

But Health Secretary Steve Barclay said the strikes were “regrettable” and would “undoubtedly” affect patients and cause delays in services, despite NHS bosses putting contingency plans in place.

He said: “We have accepted the recommendations of the Independent Pays Verification Body to give over 1 million NHS workers, including nurses and ambulances, a wage increase of at least £1,400 this financial year, on top of an increase last year when the general public were informed of sector wages frozen.

“I’ve had constructive discussions with unions about what’s affordable for 2023/24 and urge them to call off the strikes and get back to the table.”

Conservative Minister Maria Caulfield called on the RCN to end the strikes.

She told Times Radio that Mr Barclay met with health unions “virtually weekly” in January and that these meetings were “absolutely to talk about pay”.

Striking GMB ambulance workers went on strike outside Fazakerley Ambulance Station in Liverpool on 6 February

Striking GMB ambulance workers went on strike outside Fazakerley Ambulance Station in Liverpool on 6 February

Striking GMB ambulance workers went on strike outside Fazakerley Ambulance Station in Liverpool on 6 February

She added: “We are delighted to be discussing next year’s payroll and they have done just that in Scotland and the RCN have subsequently called off the strikes.”

When asked if those talks would also look at pay for 2022/23, Ms Caulfield replied: “In Scotland they don’t talk about last year’s pay either, so that’s my point, we’re in the same place as Scotland .

“In England what the unions have been doing has been withdrawn from the independent pay verification process which doesn’t help at all because we want to present our evidence, make our case, what is affordable and what are we willing to offer, but also that too Unions must do this as they did last year.

“And we would ask them to get back into that process because we want this to be resolved for patients more than any other.”

Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Today is a very important moment.

“Having both ambulance workers and nurses on the road means the logistical planning exercise was important for Trusts.”

With fewer ambulances on the road and nurses in the hospital, bosses have been working to discharge patients from the hospital and rebook both surgical and outpatient appointments, he said.

Sir Julian said: “We anticipate significant disruption to scheduled care, outpatients and electives, but of course ensure we maintain the priority of patient safety for emergency and emergency care.”

He urged the government to start talks with nurses and warned that strikes are “really hurting” the record backlog and the restoration of emergency care.

Sir Julian added: “We cannot proceed with a series of industrial action which is really preventing us from focusing on those priorities.

“I cannot emphasize enough the amount of work that goes into organizations to manage and mitigate industrial action. Our focus must be on supporting patients as the NHS in these key areas.’

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