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Health workers' strike: Nurses begin further 48 hours of action | Health workers' strike: Nurses begin further 48 hours of action |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Northern Ireland's nurses have begun another 48 hours of industrial action as they press for pay parity with colleagues in the rest of the UK and for improved staffing levels. | Northern Ireland's nurses have begun another 48 hours of industrial action as they press for pay parity with colleagues in the rest of the UK and for improved staffing levels. |
They are refusing to do things like working overtime shifts, working unpaid hours and answering phones on wards. | They are refusing to do things like working overtime shifts, working unpaid hours and answering phones on wards. |
The Belfast Health Trust cancelled hundreds of outpatient appointments on Monday as workers' action continued. | The Belfast Health Trust cancelled hundreds of outpatient appointments on Monday as workers' action continued. |
The trust said all appointments scheduled on Tuesday should go ahead. | The trust said all appointments scheduled on Tuesday should go ahead. |
However, some day centres will be closed - the trust said it had contacted anyone affected by the closures. | However, some day centres will be closed - the trust said it had contacted anyone affected by the closures. |
The latest information on disruptions and cancellations is available on the Health and Social Care website. | The latest information on disruptions and cancellations is available on the Health and Social Care website. |
Meanwhile, it has emerged that paramedics will join strike action for 24 hours from 07:00 GMT on 18 December. | |
Members of Unison - NI's largest health workers' union - within the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service will take targeted action to cause service disruption. | |
The action will include frontline crews, non-emergency staff, control and support staff, but it is understood that emergency cover will be maintained to "protect life and limb". | |
In a statement, NIAS said it was "not yet possible to quantify the impact on the service" although there may be a delayed response to some calls". | |
The Department of Health has said it was disappointed that unions last week turned down a pay offer involving an extra £28m a year. | The Department of Health has said it was disappointed that unions last week turned down a pay offer involving an extra £28m a year. |
System 'at point of collapse' | System 'at point of collapse' |
Tuesday's industrial action by Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members comes a week after a 24-hour protest in which they refused to do any work that was not directly related to patient care. | Tuesday's industrial action by Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members comes a week after a 24-hour protest in which they refused to do any work that was not directly related to patient care. |
The RCN said it has about 16,000 members in Northern Ireland, where some 17,000 nurses and 5,000 nursing support workers are employed in total. | The RCN said it has about 16,000 members in Northern Ireland, where some 17,000 nurses and 5,000 nursing support workers are employed in total. |
In November, nurses voted to take part in strike action for the first time in the 103-year history of the RCN union. | In November, nurses voted to take part in strike action for the first time in the 103-year history of the RCN union. |
Health workers have said they are unhappy about pay and claim staffing levels are "unsafe". | Health workers have said they are unhappy about pay and claim staffing levels are "unsafe". |
The Royal College of Surgeons warned last month that Northern Ireland's healthcare system was "at the point of collapse". | The Royal College of Surgeons warned last month that Northern Ireland's healthcare system was "at the point of collapse". |
Unions rejected a new pay offer by the Department of Health last week because it did not reach parity with staff in England. | Unions rejected a new pay offer by the Department of Health last week because it did not reach parity with staff in England. |
On Monday, it was announced that Unison nurses at Londonderry's Altnagelvin Hospital had joined the industrial action. | On Monday, it was announced that Unison nurses at Londonderry's Altnagelvin Hospital had joined the industrial action. |
The Belfast Health Trust said all hospital surgeries, inpatient and outpatient appointments on Tuesday and Wednesday would take place as planned apart from outpatient appointments at the School of Dentistry. | The Belfast Health Trust said all hospital surgeries, inpatient and outpatient appointments on Tuesday and Wednesday would take place as planned apart from outpatient appointments at the School of Dentistry. |
The following day centres will be closed on Tuesday from 09:00 GMT until 13:00: | The following day centres will be closed on Tuesday from 09:00 GMT until 13:00: |
Community day services in north and west Belfast will also not operate. | Community day services in north and west Belfast will also not operate. |
The following day centres will be providing a limited service from 09:00 until 13:00. | The following day centres will be providing a limited service from 09:00 until 13:00. |
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