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| Host of top hospitals targeted by nurse strikes | Host of top hospitals targeted by nurse strikes |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A host of leading hospitals will be affected in next month's nurse strikes, the Royal College of Nursing says. | A host of leading hospitals will be affected in next month's nurse strikes, the Royal College of Nursing says. |
| They include Great Ormond Street and Alder Hey children's hospitals and leading cancer centres. | They include Great Ormond Street and Alder Hey children's hospitals and leading cancer centres. |
| Overall, more than a quarter of hospitals and community services in England and nearly all those in Northern Ireland and Wales will see nurses walkout on 15 and 20 December. | Overall, more than a quarter of hospitals and community services in England and nearly all those in Northern Ireland and Wales will see nurses walkout on 15 and 20 December. |
| Emergency care will continue to be provided during the strike action. | Emergency care will continue to be provided during the strike action. |
| In total, 76 NHS organisations will see nurses walk out. | In total, 76 NHS organisations will see nurses walk out. |
| Record number of nurses quitting the NHS | Record number of nurses quitting the NHS |
| They include leading cancer centres the Royal Marsden and Liverpool's Clatterbridge centre alongside major hospitals in Birmingham, London, Liverpool, Newcastle and West Yorkshire. | They include leading cancer centres the Royal Marsden and Liverpool's Clatterbridge centre alongside major hospitals in Birmingham, London, Liverpool, Newcastle and West Yorkshire. |
| All the health boards in Northern Ireland and all-but-one in Wales, the Aneurin Bevan, will see strike action take place. | All the health boards in Northern Ireland and all-but-one in Wales, the Aneurin Bevan, will see strike action take place. |
| But action has been suspended in Scotland after ministers there made a fresh pay offer, which the RCN is consulting on. | But action has been suspended in Scotland after ministers there made a fresh pay offer, which the RCN is consulting on. |
| Meanwhile, Unison has announced ambulance staff including paramedics and call handlers, have voted to strike in five of England's 10 ambulance services. A walkout is expected before Christmas. | |
| Turnout was too low in the remainder for the votes to count, as well as in all but two of England's hospital and community trusts. | |
| No services in Wales voted for strike action, but a walkout will happen across all services in Northern Ireland on 12 December, Unison said. | |
| Overall, up to 100,000 nurses could be involved in the nurse walkout the RCN says, which would amount to about a quarter of nurses in those three nations. | |
| The RCN warned the government if a deal could not be agreed more services would be involved in the strike action next year. | The RCN warned the government if a deal could not be agreed more services would be involved in the strike action next year. |
| RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: "Ministers have declined my offer of formal pay negotiations and instead chosen strike action. | RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: "Ministers have declined my offer of formal pay negotiations and instead chosen strike action. |
| "It has left us with no choice. Nursing is standing up for the profession and their patients. | "It has left us with no choice. Nursing is standing up for the profession and their patients. |
| "We've had enough of being taken for granted and being unable to provide the care patients deserve." | "We've had enough of being taken for granted and being unable to provide the care patients deserve." |
| Watch this video quiz to test your knowledge of nurses' pay | Watch this video quiz to test your knowledge of nurses' pay |
| Watch this video quiz to test your knowledge of nurses' pay | Watch this video quiz to test your knowledge of nurses' pay |
| Life-preserving care to be provided | Life-preserving care to be provided |
| The strike action will last from 08:00 to 20:00 GMT. | The strike action will last from 08:00 to 20:00 GMT. |
| Under trade union laws, the RCN has to ensure life-preserving care | Under trade union laws, the RCN has to ensure life-preserving care |
| This is likely to mean some cancer services, urgent tests and scans and ongoing care for vulnerable patients will be protected alongside A&E and intensive care - although it will be up to local health bosses and union leaders to negotiate exact staffing levels on strike days. | This is likely to mean some cancer services, urgent tests and scans and ongoing care for vulnerable patients will be protected alongside A&E and intensive care - although it will be up to local health bosses and union leaders to negotiate exact staffing levels on strike days. |
| But it seems almost certain the walkout will increase the backlog in non-urgent hospital treatment - a record seven million people are already on the waiting list in England. | But it seems almost certain the walkout will increase the backlog in non-urgent hospital treatment - a record seven million people are already on the waiting list in England. |
| GP services, however, will be unaffected as nurses working in practices were not entitled to take part in the ballot. | GP services, however, will be unaffected as nurses working in practices were not entitled to take part in the ballot. |
| In England, the RCN only has mandates for strike action in just over half of NHS trusts as the turnout was too low in the rest. | In England, the RCN only has mandates for strike action in just over half of NHS trusts as the turnout was too low in the rest. |
| For the forthcoming strikes the union's leadership has decided to only announce walkouts in around half of those eligible to take action. | For the forthcoming strikes the union's leadership has decided to only announce walkouts in around half of those eligible to take action. |
| The RCN has called for a rise of 5% above the RPI inflation rate, which currently stands at above 14%, but no UK nation has offered close to that. | The RCN has called for a rise of 5% above the RPI inflation rate, which currently stands at above 14%, but no UK nation has offered close to that. |
| In England and Wales, NHS staff, including nurses, have been given a rise of at least £1,400 - worth about 4% on average for nurses. | In England and Wales, NHS staff, including nurses, have been given a rise of at least £1,400 - worth about 4% on average for nurses. |
| In Northern Ireland, nurses are yet to receive a pay award because there is no working government. | In Northern Ireland, nurses are yet to receive a pay award because there is no working government. |
| Earlier this month Scottish ministers made a fresh offer worth more than 8% for a newly-qualified nurse, with more senior nurses being offered less. This prompted the re-starting of talks. | Earlier this month Scottish ministers made a fresh offer worth more than 8% for a newly-qualified nurse, with more senior nurses being offered less. This prompted the re-starting of talks. |
| During the ballot - the results of which were announced two weeks ago - the RCN had argued this year's below-inflation pay award came after years of squeezes on nurse's salaries. | During the ballot - the results of which were announced two weeks ago - the RCN had argued this year's below-inflation pay award came after years of squeezes on nurse's salaries. |
| But England Health Secretary Steve Barclay has said the RCN's demands are not affordable. | But England Health Secretary Steve Barclay has said the RCN's demands are not affordable. |
| He has said the government had met the recommendations of the independent NHS Pay Review Body in giving its award. | He has said the government had met the recommendations of the independent NHS Pay Review Body in giving its award. |
| And it followed a 3% pay rise last year, in recognition of work during the pandemic, despite a public-sector pay freeze. | And it followed a 3% pay rise last year, in recognition of work during the pandemic, despite a public-sector pay freeze. |
| The Welsh government said it was unable to enter pay talks without extra funding from the UK government. | The Welsh government said it was unable to enter pay talks without extra funding from the UK government. |
| This will only be the second time RCN members have been on strike. | This will only be the second time RCN members have been on strike. |
| In 2019, nurses in Northern Ireland walked out over pay, while nurses who are members of Unison in England walked out in 2014 over pay. | In 2019, nurses in Northern Ireland walked out over pay, while nurses who are members of Unison in England walked out in 2014 over pay. |
| A host of other major health unions, including Unison, the Royal College of Midwives, GMB and Unite, have all started balloting members. | A host of other major health unions, including Unison, the Royal College of Midwives, GMB and Unite, have all started balloting members. |