Thousands of nurses set to go on strike for second time in a week

Thousands of nurses will go on strike again today (Picture: Steve Taylor/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)

Around 100,000 nurses are set to go on strike today which could leave sick Brits having to call taxis to be able to get to A&E, NHS bosses have warned.

It comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pleaded with unions to call off NHS strike action with a warning about the effects the walkouts will have on people’s health.

Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will walk out for a second time today, while ambulance workers will strike on Wednesday in England and Wales.

It comes after negotiations between the Union and the Health Secretary earlier in the week failed to reach an agreement.

The RCN’s general secretary Pat Cullen spoke of her ‘disappointment’ at the outcome of the talks, saying: The government was true to its word – they would not talk to me about pay.

‘I needed to come out of this meeting with something serious to show nurses why they should not strike this week. Regrettably, they are not getting an extra penny.’

Pat Cullen, general secretary of the RCN, said: ‘Our strike action will be as much for patients as it is for nurses – we have their support in doing this.’

However, health secretary Steve Barclay has said that he ‘deeply regrets’ that some union members have voted to strike.

It is the second strike in a week (Picture: Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)

The strikes could leave the NHS under intense pressure (Picture: Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

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Mr Barclay added that the union was ‘out of step’ with the UK’s economic situation and the RCN’s requests are not ‘reasonable or affordable’.

Yesterday the Health Secretary was confronted by an angry mother who told him the damage the Tories have inflicted on families is ‘terrible’.

Sarah Pinnington-Auld challenged Steve Barclay on his photo op tour of King’s College University Hospital in Denmark Hill, south London, today.

At her daughter’s bedside, the mum told him she is ‘scared’ the Conservative’s handling of the NHS could see her daughter die young from cystic fibrosis.

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Ms Pinnington-Auld said the staff are ‘absolutely amazing’ but pressures on the hospital are affecting her daughter’s care.

Some 44 NHS trusts in England, six of seven boards in Wales and all health boards in Northern Ireland are taking part in the latest walkout with tens of thousands of appointments and operations cancelled as a result.

The Prime Minister insisted the Government was ‘happy to sit down and talk’ with unions but ministers have so far refused to discuss pay.

The RCN has asked Mr Sunak to intervene in the dispute but the Prime Minister held firm on the issue of pay, insisting his focus was on tackling inflation.

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He said: ‘I’m really disappointed to see that the unions are calling these strikes, particularly at Christmas, particularly when it has such an impact on people’s day-to-day lives with the disruption it causes and the impact on their health.

‘I would urge them to keep considering whether these strikes are really necessary and do everything they can to alleviate the impact it’s going to have on people.

‘The Government, for its part, is being responsible in putting in place contingency measures to make sure we are well prepared to handle the disruption that is coming.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay was slammed by mum Sarah Pinnington-Auld as he visited her daughter, Lucy, 3, and she said it was simply a ‘photo op’ (Picture: PA)

Mr Barclay wouldn’t answer questions on the strike asked by the mum (Credits: PA)

Nurses at St. Thomas’ Hospital in central London will go on strike again today (Picture: Steve Taylor/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)

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‘Part of us doing that is having a responsible and fair approach to pay.”

The attack came nurses picked up placards and prepared to strike for the second time in a week.

It will be followed by a walk-out by 10,000 ambulance staff tomorrow amid anger in the NHS at pay and conditions.

You can see a full list of NHS trusts and organisations impacted at the bottom of this story (Picture: Metro/Getty)

Latest NHS statistics show a shortage of more than 130,000 workers in September – a vacancy rate of almost ten per cent. It comes amid record waiting lists.

Nurses have been offered a 4.5 per cent pay rise but want inflation – currently 10.7 per cent – plus five per cent to claw back lost income.

The Royal College of Nursing has threatened to hold more strikes in January if ministers do not open talks.

Unions say both this week’s walk-outs could be averted if the government agrees to negotiate with them over pay.

But Mr Barclay rejected those calls again yesterday, saying the demands were unaffordable and that the NHS pay review body’s offer of at least four per cent for nurses should be respected.

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Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will walk out for a second time today.