Nurses were out on picket lines across Nottingham today 15 December as the first strikes take place.
Picket lines are planned for Nottingham’s QMC, City Hospital and ICB headquarters.
At QMC this morning the first union members were out in freezing weather to support the action.
Passing vehicles lent their support by sounding their car horns.
The action today and on the 20 December affects NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
The union said:
‘The first phase of strike action is taking place on Thursday 15 and Tuesday 20 December after the UK government turned down our offer of formal, detailed negotiations as an alternative to strikes. ‘
The strikes will happen in England, Northern Ireland and Wales with a list of employers where strike action will take place announced next week.
@westbridgfordwirenews Nurses were out on picket lines across Nottingham today 15 December as the first strikes take place. Picket lines are planned for Nottingham’s QMC, City Hospital and ICB headquarters. At QMC this morning the first union members were out in freezing weather to support the action. Passing vehicles lent their support by sounding their car horns. The action today and on the 20 December affects NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The union said: ‘The first phase of strike action is taking place on Thursday 15 and Tuesday 20 December after the UK government turned down our offer of formal, detailed negotiations as an alternative to strikes. ‘ Full story and pictures at the link in our bio #rcn #fairpayfornursing #nursesstrike #nottingham #notts #nottinghamshire #uknews #nottinghamshire #nurse #nurses #nursesoftiktok #nursestudent #nurseslife #bbcnews #foryoupage #fyp #strike #picket #picketline #uknurses🇬🇧 #uknursetiktok ♬ original sound – West Bridgford Wire News
Strike action will happen in phases, meaning more strike dates could be announced after initial action in December, if governments fail to enter into formal negotiations.
‘The governments have the power and means to stop strikes at any point but have chosen to go down this route.
‘Not all members at employers where there is a mandate to strike will be called to strike on these first two dates. Phase one could be just the beginning of a longer period of strike action.
‘The announcement of strike dates follows the result of our recent ballot in which members at the majority of NHS employers across the UK voted to strike.
‘The dispute is over pay, but also patient safety. Staffing levels are so low that patient care is being compromised. Only by paying nursing staff fairly will we recruit and retain people in our profession.
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board ( ICB ) said:
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are one of a number of areas across the country that is affected by industrial action being taken by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) on 15 and 20 December.
This action will be taking place at employers where the threshold was met as part of the RCN ballot. Employers who met the threshold in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire include:
- Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Due to the reduction in nursing staff across these organisations, planned surgery and outpatient appointments will be affected. If you have not been contacted, please attend your appointment as planned. The NHS will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled due to the strike action.
Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases.
Where the situation is not life-threatening, alternative support is available through NHS111 online, your nearest pharmacy or at urgent treatment centres.
