London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Apr 01, 2023

Nurses to begin strike ‘with heavy hearts’ as cancer care fears remain

Nurses to begin strike ‘with heavy hearts’ as cancer care fears remain

The strike involves staff in about a quarter of hospitals and community teams in England

Nurses have gone on strike on Thursday in the largest action of its kind in NHS history.

The strike involves staff in about a quarter of hospitals and community teams in England, all health boards in Northern Ireland and all but one in Wales.

London hospital trusts where nurses are striking are Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. Nurses will also walkout at NHS North Central London ICB. Nurses across a total of 63 trusts are striking across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

A handful of nurses were already gathered on the picket line outside St Thomas' Hospital in Westminster, central London in the dark and cold ahead of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) strike starting at 8am.

RCN members also chanted “fair pay for nurses” outside Great Ormond Street Hospital in Bloomsbury.

Some were wearing white RCN vests with the slogan “The Voice of Nursing", while others clutch placards with messages such as "It's time to pay nursing staff a fair wage".

RCN chief executive Pat Cullen told some of the assembled union members: “I want to thank you so much for what you are doing - you're just amazing."

The union have demanded a pay rise of 5 per cent above inflation, claiming the Government’s current offer of around 3 per cent is insufficient to cope with the rising cost of living. However, Ms Cullen has indicated that she would accept a lower offer and that scheduled industrial action would be called off if Health Secretary Steve Barclay agrees to discussions over pay.

Britain faces a deepening winter of discontent with rail workers, NHS staff and Border Force employees set to take industrial action throughout the festive period.

The NHS is currently under severe pressure with a record 7.2 million people waiting for routine treatment, record waits for ambulances and delays in A&E as hospitals struggle to discharge patients. Ambulance workers are also set to strike across England on December 21.

Speaking on Thursday morning, Ms Cullen said that “hundreds of nurses” were leaving the profession every day as a result of pay and working conditions.

“This is a tragic day for nurses and a tragic day for patients,” she told the BBC. “It’s a tragic day for the people of society and for our NHS”.

She claimed that there was “nothing independent” about the pay review body which recommended a 3 per cent pay rise for NHS staff to ministers last year.

“It might be accepted by the Government, it’s not accepted by the Royal College of Nursing.”

Exact strike times for NHS trusts taking part vary but staff will strike for about 12 hours from around 7.30am. Staff are due to walkout again on Tuesday, December 20.

Staff will continue to provide “life-preserving” and some urgent care but routine surgery and other planned treatment is likely to be disrupted.

Professor Tim Orchard, chief executive of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, warned that some surgery would have to be postponed by as long as six weeks.

He said: “Our focus has been making sure we continue to provide safe and high-quality care, while also ensuring our nurses and healthcare assistants are able to exercise their right to take industrial action if they wish to do so.

“Working closely with the RCN local strike committee, our teams have developed detailed contingency plans. Our A&E and inpatient services will be fully operational and we expect to be able to continue with our time-critical cancer care.

“But we have had to postpone much of our other planned care or, where possible, move to virtual appointments. We expect that patients who have had their appointment or surgery postponed will be able to be rescheduled for the end of January.”

In a letter to NHS leaders, Danny Mortimer, head of NHS Employers, which acts on behalf of NHS trusts, said “real concerns remain” about levels of cover for patients during the strike, with “cancer services a particular area of worry.”

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said staff had been given no choice but to press ahead after ministers refused to reopen pay talks.

Health minister Maria Caulfield on Monday dismissed the RCN’s pay demand as “unrealistic”, saying: “We have to have a balance for everyone.”

When it submitted the five percent figure to the independent pay review body in March, inflation was running at 7.5 percent. But inflation has since soared, with RPI standing at 14.2 percent in September.

RCN chief executive, Pat Cullen, has accused Health Secretary Steve Barclay of “belligerence” after he refused to discuss the issue of pay.

Mr Barclay has repeatedly said the Government is sticking to the recommendations of the independent pay review body, which recommended nurses get a pay rise of around £1,400.

Speaking ahead of the first strike day, Ms Cullen, said: “Nurses are not relishing this, we are acting with a very heavy heart. It has been a difficult decision taken by hundreds of thousands who begin to remove their labour from tomorrow in a bid to be heard, recognised and valued.

“It is a tragic first for nursing, the RCN and the NHS. Nursing staff on picket lines is a sign of failure on the part of governments.

“Our commitment to patients and safe care means that vital services are kept running. The scaremongering we have seen did upset some but also demonstrated the disrespect afforded to nurses for raising their voice. My plea to patients is to know that this strike is for you too – it’s about waiting lists, treatments that are cancelled year-round and the very future of the NHS.”

In his letter to NHS leaders, Mr Mortimer said some aspects of talks with the RCN had been disappointing and warned that “unless the Government indicates a willingness to negotiate on pay-related matters, further strike dates will be announced by the RCN for January 2023 and beyond”.

The letter, dated Wednesday December 14, said: “To be clear - real concerns remain.

“There are areas where we are disappointed that we have not been able to make more progress with the RCN, with the limited national derogations for cancer services a particular area of worry.”

On future strikes, Mr Mortimer said that unless the Government moved on pay, “it is likely that these strikes will be for a longer time period on each occasion and will cover a greater number of organisations in England”.

“It is also likely that the position reached yesterday on derogations will be altered and reduced further. Re-balloting is also likely,” he added.

Derogations relates to the areas of care that nurses agree they will cover during a strike.

The RCN has said it will still staff chemotherapy, emergency cancer services, dialysis, critical care units, neonatal and paediatric intensive care.

Some areas of mental health and learning disability and autism services are also exempt, while trusts have been told they can request staffing for specific clinical needs.


Nurses and NHS workers from the campaign group NHS Workers Say No, and Unite's Guys and St Thomas Hospital Union branch, hold a socially distanced protest outside Downing Street


When it comes to adult A&E and urgent care, nurses will work Christmas Day-style rotas.

But there have been concerns from within the NHS over what level of cover trusts can expect for urgent cancer treatment.

In his letter, Mr Mortimer said other unions representing health workers will also announce further dates for strike action.

“While there may not necessarily be complete co-ordination between trade unions, the impact on services, patients and staff continues to be a source of real concern for you,” he said.

“There seems still to be limited ability for the Government to agree to substantive talks with trade unions.

“I know that this situation is starting to place a strain on broader local, regional and national partnerships.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Labour leader Keir Starmer accused the Prime Minister of entering “hibernation” rather than working to get Thursday’s strike called off.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir said that all Mr Sunak needs to do to avert the strikes is to “open the door and discuss pay with them”.

“If he did, the whole country would breathe a sigh of relief. Why won’t he?” the Labour leader asked.

Mr Sunak insisted his Government has “consistently spoken to all the unions involved in all the pay disputes” and said it was standing by the independent pay review body recommendations.

Newsletter

Related Articles

London Daily
Close
0:00
0:00
Russia arrested an American reporter for the Wall Street Journal on espionage charges
You Are So Beautiful
Don’t Dismiss China’s Peacemaking Bid
Postmodern Jukebox European Tour Version
Austrian Parliament members walk out when Volodymyr Zelensky begins speaking.
An old French tune (by Georges Brassens) Pomplamoose ft. John Schroeder
Father obliterates council members following viral TikTok of biological male masturbating in women’s bathroom..
Sattahip Motor Show 20
Tsai Ing-wen received a "warm welcome" from the Chinese people in the US.
SONATE AU CLAIR DE LUNE - Moonlight sonata
EU's von der Leyen: "We know this is an era where we rely on one single supplier. China. 98% of our rare earth supply."
A kiss to build a dream on
China and Brazil have signed a new deal that will allow them to trade in their own currencies, bypassing the US dollar as an intermediary
Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Elon Musk and Others Call for Pause on A.I., Citing ‘Profound Risks to Society’
Mean Blues
Nashville style execution
La Chansonnette
“We've had evidence prior to the pandemic that masks were largely ineffective at preventing community transmission of influenza “
Pattaya Addicts
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz:
Franz Liszt - Liebestraum - Love Dream
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz rejects being labeled a "billionaire"
Dream a little dream of me
Jamie Dimon is being deposed over JPMorgan Chase role in Epstein lawsuits
Unchained Melody sung like you've NEVER heard!
This is how an electric car saves all the energy that he would have spent if he had lived 50 years longer.
Dave Brubeck - Take Five
Brand new security footage has just been released to the public showing the Active shooter Audrey Elizabeth Hale drove to Covenant Church School in her Honda Fit this morning, parked, and shot her way into the building
Édith Piaf - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien (Sofie)
Social Media censoring users for saying the true
Rondo Alla Turca
Smart Iranian fashion designer teaching dummy TV anchors lesson about reality
Kiss of fire
AMERICA, 2023
Tom Jones - I´ll Never Fall In Love Again 1967, 1989, 2001
U.S. charges FTX's Bankman-Fried with paying $40 million bribe
Israel Cachao López - Guajira Clásica
Fallen 'Crypto King' Who Owes Millions to Investors Was Kidnapped and Tortured
Edward Maya - Stereo Love (feat. Vika Jigulina) (Extended Mix)
Regulators blame social media for SVB's rapid collapse: 'Complete game changer'
Strauss - Radetzky March - Karajan
AOC explains why she opposes banning TikTok
La vie en rose
UK: Humza Yousaf replaces Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and first minister in Scotland
The Temptations - My Girl (Smokey Robinson Tribute) 2006 Kennedy Cent
In a dramatic U-turn against His Government: Judicial Reform Legislation Must Be Halted, Says Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant
Orlando Cachaito Lopez Redencion
Gordon Moore, a co-founder of Intel Corporation, died at 94
Edith Piaf - NON, JE NE REGRETTE RIEN
Powell: Silicon Valley Bank was an 'outlier'
RADETZKY MARCH-2008-Wien, New Year Concert
Bordeaux town hall set on fire in France pro democracy protest
Only you (And you alone)
Police violence in Paris
Strangers In The Night
Paris: Some of the police are stepping down and showing solidarity with the protesters.
Charles Aznavour - La Boheme
Donald Trump arrested – Twitter goes wild with doctored pictures
Summer time
NYPD is setting up barricades outside Manhattan Criminal Court ahead of Trump arrest.
Sting and Stevie Wonder - Fragile (from Sting's 60th birthday concert)
Credit Suisse's Scandalous History Resulted in an Obvious Collapse - It's time for regulators who fail to do their job to be held accountable and serve as an example by being behind bars.
Aux Champs Elysees
Home Secretary Suella Braverman tours potential migrant housing in Rwanda as asylum deal remains mired in legal challenges
Stand By Me - Ben E. King (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Goldman Sachs cuts outlook for European bank debt over Credit Suisse crisis
La Mer (Beyond the Sea) – Avalon Jazz Band
Paris Rioting vs Macron anti democratic law
She
'Sexual Fantasy' Assignment At US School Outrages Parents
Nathalie Song by Enzo Petrachi Stjepan Hauser Cello
Orbán Viktor: the restructuring of the power relations in the whole of Europe is taking place
Shape of My Heart - Sting (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Credit Suisse to borrow $54 billion from Swiss central bank
Radiohead - Creep
The BBC problem about China
Quizás,Quizás,Quizás - Andrea Bocelli - Jennifer Lopez
Strikes-Hit UK Pledges 94 Billion Euros In Cost-Of-Living Budget
Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps - Multi-Couples
Russian Hackers Preparing New Cyber Assault Against Ukraine
Pentatonix Havana
"Will Fly Wherever International Law Allows": US Warns Russia After Drone Incident
Paula Cole - Autumn Leaves
UK face biggest fall in spending power for 70 years
Oscar Benton Bensonhurst Blues
Jeremy Hunt insists his Budget will get young parents and over-50s back into work
OH NANANA vs ABUSADAMENTE
If this was in Tehran, Moscow or Hong Kong
Nina Simone - ”I Put A Spell On You”. Vezi aici cum cântă Jeremy Ragsd
Announcing GPT-4
NIGHTWISH - The Phantom Of The Opera
TRUMP: "Standing before you today, I am the only candidate who can make this promise: I will prevent World War III."
Motorshow 2016 Tanjay Negros Oriental
Drew Barrymore
Monica Bellucci - Ti Amo
China is calling out the US, UK, and Australia on their submarine pact, claiming they are going further down a dangerous road
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean Milena The Voice France 2018
A brief banking situation report
Michael Buble (Help Me Make It Through The Night) feat Loren Allred
Memories Canon In D - Maroon 5 (Boyce Avenue piano acoustic cover)
Matteo Simoni - Marina
Maroon 5 - One More Night
Maroon 5 - Memories
Mark Knopfler - Brothers In Arms (Berlin 2007 Live)
Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris - Romeo And Juliet (Real Live Roadrunni
Marina, Marina - The LUCKY DUCKIES intimist live concert at Guimarães
Major Lazer & DJ Snake – Lean On Mauranne The Voice France 2016
Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet - Joslin - Henri Mancini, Nino Rota
LoLa & Hauser - Love Story
Linkin Park Jay-Z - Numb Encore (Live 8 2005)
Hallelujah Mennel Ibtissem, The Voice France Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen - Dance Me to the End of Love
Leonard Cohen & Natasha Rostova - Dance me to the end of love
La casa de papel - Bella Ciao
La Camisa Negra
L'italiano (Toto Cutugno) - The Gypsy Queens
Juanes - La Camisa Negra
Jonathan and Charlotte - Britain's Got Talent 2012 Live Semi Final - U
John Powell - Assassin's Tango
Joe Cocker - You Can Leave Your Hat On (LIVE in Dortmund)
Joe Cocker - Unchain My Heart 2002 Live
Joe Cocker - A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Jay Z & Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind LIVE
Jason Mraz - Im Yours (live)
Jarrod Radnich - Bohemian Rhapsody - Virtuosic Piano Solo
James Blunt - You're Beautiful
James Blunt - You're Beautiful & Bonfire Heart (Live at The Nobel Peac)
If You Go Away - Helen Merrill & Stan Getz (Tribute to Virna Lisi)
I'LL BE MISSING YOU
I Say a Little Prayer
Hotel California ( Eagles ) 1994 Live
Historia de un amor - Luz Casal. Vezi interpretarea Biancăi Sumanariu
Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover) on Spot
Heart - Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin - Kennedy Center Honors
HAVANA by Camila Cabello Zumba Pre Cooldown TML Crew Kramer Pastra
HAUSER and Señorita - I Will Always Love You
HAUSER - Waka Waka
HAUSER - Sway
HAUSER - Lambada
HAUSER - Historia de un Amor
HAUSER - Despacito
Great Pretender
Georgia May Foote & Giovanni Pernice Samba to 'Volare' - Strictly Come
Gary Moore - Still Got The Blues
GIPSY KINGS VOLARE Penelope Cruz
Fugees - Killing Me Softly With His Song
French Latino - Historia de un Amor
For A Few Dollars More The Danish National Symphony Orchestra (Live)
Flashdance • What a Feeling • Irene Cara
Filip Rudan - “Someone You Loved” Audicija 4 The Voice Hrvatska Sez
Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
Enya - Only Time
Enrique Iglesias - Bailando (English Version) ft. Sean Paul
Enrique Iglesias - Bailamos
Elena Yerevan Historia de un amor
Ed Sheeran - Shape of You (Official Music Video)
Ed Sheeran - Perfect Symphony [with Andrea Bocelli]
Ed Sheeran - Perfect (Official Music Video)
Easy On Me - Adele (Boyce Avenue 90’s style piano acoustic cover) on S
ERA - Ameno
ELENA YEREVAN- Cancion Del Mariachi-IN STUDIO-2017 DPR
Dust In The Wind - Kansas (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Despacito x Shape Of You - Pentatonix
Deep Purple - Child In Time - Live (1970)
David Foster When A Man Loves A WomanIt's A Mans World (SealMichael Bo
Dance me to the end of Love ( Pi-Air Design )
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise (feat. L.V.) [Official Music Video]
Conquest Of Paradise (Vangelis), played on Böhm Emporio organ
Cielito Lindo
Chico & The Gypsies - Bamboleo
Canción Del Mariachi - Antonio Banderas, Los Lobos • Desperado
Camila Cabello - Havana (Audio) ft. Young Thug
Camila Cabello - Havana ( cover by J.Fla )
California Dreamin' - The Mamas & The Papas José Feliciano (Boyce Ave
Buster Benton - Money Is The Name of The Game
Hallelujah Pentatonix
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy (Official Music Video)
Bob Dylan - Knockin' On Heaven's Door Emilia The Voice Kids France
Besame Mucho - Cesaria Evora
Ben E. King - Stand by Me Sax Cover Alexandra Ilieva Thomann
Bella Ciao
Bella Ciao - INSTRUMENTAL
Beautiful in White x Canon in D (Piano Cover by Riyandi Kusuma)
Bad Romance - Vintage 1920's Gatsby Style Lady Gaga Cover ft. Ariana Savalas & Sarah Reich(1)
BELLA CIAO 2020 - KARAOKE ITALIANO
BAMBOLEO - Gipsy Kings • Antonio Banderas, Katya Virshilas
BAILANDO (original)
Awesome Ukrainian yodeler - SOFIA SHKIDCHENKO (with English subtitles)
Avicii - The Nights
Atom - The Great Gig in the Sky
Aretha Franklin - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (Official Ly
Antonio Banderas - Cancion del Mariachi (Desperado)
André Rieu - Zorba's Dance (Sirtaki)
André Rieu - Can't Help Falling In Love
André Rieu & Mirusia - Ave Maria
Andrew Reyes Elton John - Don't Let The Sun Go Down The Voice 2020 (
Andreas Kümmert Whiter Shade Of Pale The Voice of Germany 2013 Showd
And I Love You So
All About That Bass - Postmodern Jukebox European Tour Version
Alan Walker - Faded (Piano Cover)
Ain't No Sunshine -- Bill Withers (cover by Canen 12 y.o.)
African music
Adriana Vidović - “Creep” Audicija 4 The Voice Hrvatska Sezona 3
Adriana Vidović - “Believer” Nokaut 3 The Voice Hrvatska Sezona 3
A Fistful of Dollars - The Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Tuva
4 Beautiful Soundtracks Relaxing Piano [10min]
2CELLOS - Whole Lotta Love vs. Beethoven 5th Symphony [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
2CELLOS - Smooth Criminal (Live at Suntory Hall, Tokyo)
2CELLOS - Smells Like Teen Spirit [Live at Sydney Opera House]
2CELLOS - Despacito [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
13 Year Old Girl Playing Il Silenzio (The Silence) - André Rieu
094.All About That Bass
00 - SADNESS PART 1
(Ghost) Riders In the Sky (American Outlaws Live at Nassau Coliseum, 1
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams (Boyce Avenue ft. Conn
What a wonderful world
Moon river
×