This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64722953
The article has changed 21 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Nurses to suspend 48-hour strike as talks with government re-start | Nurses to suspend 48-hour strike as talks with government re-start |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Nurses in England have called off next week's 48-hour strike to re-start talks with the government over pay. | Nurses in England have called off next week's 48-hour strike to re-start talks with the government over pay. |
| The Royal College of Nursing and the Department of Health and Social Care issued a joint statement saying they would enter "intensive" negotiations. | The Royal College of Nursing and the Department of Health and Social Care issued a joint statement saying they would enter "intensive" negotiations. |
| Ministers, officials and RCN leaders will meet on Wednesday. | Ministers, officials and RCN leaders will meet on Wednesday. |
| The RCN originally asked for a pay rise of 5% above inflation, but has since said it would be willing to meet the government half-way. | The RCN originally asked for a pay rise of 5% above inflation, but has since said it would be willing to meet the government half-way. |
| Next week's walkout, due to start on Wednesday, was set to be the biggest strike of this winter's pay dispute, with half of frontline services affected. | |
| The RCN had also said it would no longer exempt key services such as critical care and chemotherapy. | The RCN had also said it would no longer exempt key services such as critical care and chemotherapy. |
| 'Sigh of relief' | 'Sigh of relief' |
| The government had for months refused to talk about giving any more this year - 2022-23 - in which nurses and other NHS staff were given a rise of 4.75% average. | |
| The breakthrough was announced as the government unveiled its plans for the 2023-24 pay rise, which would come in to effect in April. It says it is willing to give a rise of 3.5%. | |
| One source close to the negotiations said this had opened the door for that pay award to be backdated into this year, so giving nurses and other staff, such as paramedics, cleaners and porters, an extra boost in pay. | One source close to the negotiations said this had opened the door for that pay award to be backdated into this year, so giving nurses and other staff, such as paramedics, cleaners and porters, an extra boost in pay. |
| The joint statement said: "The government and RCN have agreed to enter a process of intensive talks. | The joint statement said: "The government and RCN have agreed to enter a process of intensive talks. |
| "Both sides are committed to finding a fair and reasonable settlement that recognises the vital role that nurses and nursing play in the NHS and the wider economic pressures facing the UK and the prime minister's priority to halve inflation. | "Both sides are committed to finding a fair and reasonable settlement that recognises the vital role that nurses and nursing play in the NHS and the wider economic pressures facing the UK and the prime minister's priority to halve inflation. |
| "The health secretary will meet with the RCN on Wednesday to begin talks. The RCN will pause strike action during these talks." | "The health secretary will meet with the RCN on Wednesday to begin talks. The RCN will pause strike action during these talks." |
| Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive at NHS Providers, which represents health managers, said they would be "breathing a sigh of relief" at the news. | Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive at NHS Providers, which represents health managers, said they would be "breathing a sigh of relief" at the news. |
| "The past weeks have seen a worrying escalation of industrial action, which has hit patients hard. This is the glimmer of hope we all needed." | "The past weeks have seen a worrying escalation of industrial action, which has hit patients hard. This is the glimmer of hope we all needed." |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Nursing | Nursing |
| NHS | NHS |
| Royal College of Nursing | Royal College of Nursing |
| Strike action | Strike action |