Biggest-ever round of NHS strikes start

Monday will see nurses and ambulance staff walk out in parts of England as the biggest round of NHS walkouts starts. 

Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members in a third of England’s NHS trusts will go on strike. Planned industrial action in Wales was suspended after a new pay offer. 

They will be joined by members of two ambulance unions – the GMB and Unite – in some places as both sectors walk out on the same day for the first time. 

Under trade union laws, emergency cover will be provided.

Today’s walkouts are the start of a series of walkouts by NHS staff in England this week – they mark the biggest round of strike action in NHS history. 

Like many other sectors that are striking, NHS staff are fighting to get an above-inflation pay rise. 

In Wales, planned walkouts by physios, midwives and nurses have been suspended. Only Unite, which represents some ambulance staff, is going ahead with its planned action there on Monday.

Strike action this week:

• Tuesday – RCN members in a third of England’s services
• Thursday – Physios in a quarter of services in England
• Friday – Ambulance staff who are members of Unison in five of England’s 10 services

RCN boss Pat Cullen said strikes will be cancelled if the government came to the negotiating table with a better pay offer in England. 

“We’ve always said where negotiations happen, we would cancel strikes to allow for our members to be consulted.

“That’s what happened in Wales, that’s what’s been going on in Scotland.”

Currently, there are no signs the government is prepared to discuss a new pay offer for 2022/23. 

Ms Cullen urged the prime minister: “Get to the table, negotiate with me and what offer you put on the table I will consult our members and they will make that decision.”

GMB national secretary Rachel Harrison said her members had been forced into Monday’s walkout as there had been no meaningful dialogue for a month.

“The NHS is crumbling, people are dying and this government is dithering,” she said.

The government says the pay demands are unaffordable and would fuel inflation.