Hundreds of thousands of NHS nurses nationwide have now begun casting their votes on whether to strike over pay.
This is the first ever UK-wide ballot by the history of the nursing industry’s largest union.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has this week asked 300,000 nurses if they want to begin a campaign for industrial action for the first time in its 106-year history – with the union urging its members to vote in favour of striking, and the union’s general secretary calling this a “once-in-a-generation chance” to make real change.
The vote comes amid warnings that nurses are leaving the profession in record numbers, and are unhappy with working conditions, staff shortages, and ultimately, pay.
The RCN said new analysis by London Economics found that pay for nurses has declined at twice the rate of the private sector in the last decade.
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Their real-terms earnings are said to have fallen by 6%.
The RCN wants nurses to be given a pay rise in line with the rate of inflation – which is currently ata 40-year record high of 10.1%.
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“Across the board, it’s unacceptable,” the RCN said on the opening of the ballot.
“We’re campaigning for a pay rise of 5% above inflation to overcome a decade of real-terms pay cuts, support nursing staff through the cost-of-living crisis, and recognise their safety critical skills [as] only by paying nursing staff fairly will we be able to retain existing and recruit new nursing staff to the safety critical roles they do.”
The union is urging its members, including those across Greater Manchester, to “make your mark on history” by voting for strike action.
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RCN General Secretary & Chief Executive Pat Cullen said the nation’s nurses are “understaffed, undervalued, and underpaid”.
Nurses across the UK say ‘enough is enough’ as they begin vote on strike action over pay / Credit: gov.uk
Calling on members to cast their votes, Ms Cullen said: “For years, our profession has been pushed to the edge, and now patient safety is paying the price.
“We can’t stand by and watch our colleagues and patients suffer anymore.
“Though strike action is a last resort, it is a powerful tool for change, and we must demand that change. Enough is enough.
She continued: “This is a once in a generation chance to improve your pay and combat the staff shortages that put patients at risk. Governments have repeatedly neglected the NHS and the value of nursing. We can change this if together we say ‘enough is enough’.
“Record numbers are feeling no alternative but to quit and patients pay a heavy price. We are doing this for them too. I have spoken with hundreds of you directly in recent weeks – it’s clear we need urgent change.
“Nursing is the best job in the world. Protect it with your vote.”
Featured Image – UKHSA
News
Labrador puppy dies after being ‘deliberately thrown’ into Greater Manchester marina
Daisy Jackson
A five-month-old Labrador puppy has died after being ‘deliberately thrown’ into a marina in Greater Manchester last week, suffering ‘multiple fractures’.
The tiny pooch was initially pulled to safety by a passing member of the public, who found her struggling in the water between two boats.
The black puppy, who was nicknamed Peggy by RSCPA staff, had suffered such severe breaks to her jaw that she would have been unable to eat or drink and was humanely put to sleep.
The RSPCA is now urging local businesses to check their CCTV for any information relating to this shocking incident, and for any witnesses or people who recognise Peggy to come forward.
The puppy was thrown into the water at the Portland Basin Marina in Ashton-under-Lyne last Wednesday 12 March, and was pulled from the water by a passer-by at around 3.20pm.
Peggy was found near the steel footbridge with no sign of anyone nearby.
When Peggy was found, she was lethargic and extremely cold, and though she was stabilised and transferred to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital later that day, her serious and inoperable injuries led to her being put to sleep.
Her jaw appeared to have been prised open, leaving her tongue hanging out and the poor puppy suffering.
Peggy was not microchipped and it’s not known if her injuries happened as a result of the fall, or if they occurred beforehand.
Labrador puppy Peggy dies after being ‘deliberately thrown’ into Greater Manchester marina. Credit: RSPCA
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Kate Sargent, who is investigating, said: “Everyone who has been involved in this terrible incident has been left feeling shocked and saddened by what happened to Peggy.
“It’s hard to understand how anyone could do something like this to such a young dog. We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to the kind people who got her out of the water and sought help, and to the veterinary teams who saw her.
“We’d appeal to anyone who recognises Peggy or who was at the marina at the time to get in touch so we can progress this investigation further. We are also asking nearby businesses and homes in the surrounding area to check their CCTV and video doorbells.”
Anyone with first-hand information is urged to contact the RSPCA’s appeals line, in confidence, on 0300 123 8018 quoting reference number 01467665.
NHS slam ‘unacceptable’ rise in physical violence and sexual assault towards frontline staff
Emily Sergeant
Frontline NHS staff are facing a rise in physical violence, inappropriate sexual behaviour, and discrimination at the hands of members of the public.
According to the shocking revelations from the latest annual NHS staff survey published last week, around one in seven NHS staff (14.38%) experienced some from of physical violence directed at them from patients, their relatives, or other members of the public in 2024.
The report revealed that the number of attacks on staff has increased by nearly 14% since 2023.
Staff experiencing discrimination at work reached also reached its highest level in five years, with more than half (54%) saying the discrimination they received from patients and the public was based on their ethnic background.
One in 12 (8.82%) NHS workers experienced unwanted sexual behaviour in 2024, which included offensive comments, touching, and even assault.
Frontline NHS staff are facing a rise in physical violence at the hands of the public / Credit: Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)
On top of these findings from the staff survey, the national education and training survey – which was also published last week, and seeks to hear the thoughts and experiences of those currently training within the medical field – found that 13% of learners said they experienced or witnessed forms of ‘unwanted, harmful, or inappropriate’ sexual behaviour by patients.
A whopping 744,358 NHS staff members took part in the 2024 survey, which is the highest ever level in staff in its 20-year history.
The survey gives a snapshot of what it’s like to work in the NHS, right from the beginning of a career, throughout their working lives, and into retirement, and are used by NHS organisations to ‘make things better’ for staff and patients.
They’re also being subjected to inappropriate sexual behaviour and discrimination / Credit: rawpixel
“It’s totally unacceptable that NHS staff are facing physical violence, sexual assault, and discrimination from patients and the public while at work,” commented Dr Navina Evans, who is the Chief Workforce, Training and Education Officer for NHS England, as the survey findings were published.
“We know that the most important way to stamp out incidents of unacceptable behaviour is to give people the confidence to report it, and it is important that the voice of every member of NHS staff is heard through these surveys and acted upon.
“The NHS sexual safety charter has also now been adopted by every integrated care board and NHS trust in England to enforce a zero-tolerance approach to letting unwanted behaviours go unaddressed”.
Emily Sergeant -
7th October 2022 
