NURSES ACROSS Northern Ireland, England and Wales are today beginning a second day of strike action.
Up to 100,000 nursing staff with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will walk out in protest against years of real-terms pay cuts and the erosion of patient safety in the NHS.
If the UK government fails to respond within 48 hours of today’s strike ending, the RCN says it will be forced to announce further strike dates for January 2023.
On Wednesday, ambulance workers including paramedics, control room workers and technicians will also walk out in England and Wales, with health chiefs warning this represents the most serious threat to date.
During Tuesday’s strike, the NHS will be running a bank holiday-style service in many areas as thousands of operations and procedures are cancelled and rescheduled.
RCN General Secretary & Chief Executive Pat Cullen is escalating her demands to resolve the dispute.
"The Prime Minister should ask himself what is motivating nursing staff to stand outside their hospitals for a second day so close to Christmas," she said.
"They’re prepared to sacrifice a day’s pay to have their concerns heard. Their determination stems as much from worries over patient safety and the future of the NHS than personal hardship.
"Rishi Sunak is under growing pressure in Westminster following last Thursday’s strike and he should listen to people around him."
Strike action in Scotland was paused after the Scottish government returned to the negotiating table.
