Striking nurses will put patients at risk if they go ahead with plans to stop “life and limb” care this holiday weekend, health chiefs are warning today.
The Royal College of Nursing is to order members out of emergency, intensive care and cancer units for the first time in a major escalation of industrial action.
But the NHS Federation, which represents health organisations, says the 48-hour parcel line from 8pm on Sunday could leave departments “overwhelmed”.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said on Monday he would ask the courts to rule that the second day of the RCN strike was illegal, claiming their six-month mandate to act expires at the end of the first day.
It comes after the Association of Radiographers (SoR) announced yesterday that its members had voted overwhelmingly against the government’s offer of a 5 per cent pay rise and a one-off bonus.
The result means nurses will return to the picket line for 48 hours on April 30. RCN members during an earlier strike on February 6
More than 500,000 NHS appointments and operations in England have been canceled due to staff strikes, with more disruption planned
About 65 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots, with 80 percent voting against the deal. This makes the SvR the second union with members in the NHS Agenda for Change agreement to reject the offer under the RCN.
It will now formally vote its members on their willingness to strike. The union said: “Strike action by these workers will lead to massive disruption of the entire system.”
The Royal College of Midwives will announce the results of its pay vote today and other unions will announce their results later this week.
Members of Unison, the largest healthcare union, have already voted in favour.
The NHS Association called on the RCN to reconsider its escalation in the short term “in the interests of patients” and to reinstate all national exemptions previously in place, “particularly in emergencies and in intensive care”.
It said the holidays are already a busy time for emergency services and that “the absence of nurses to provide vital services almost certainly puts patients at risk”.
READ MORE The government will take legal action against the Royal College of Nursing over the planned strike
Health Secretary Steve Barclay (pictured) said he had “unfortunately” asked the High Court to declare the proposed May 2 industrial action illegal
It also means that scheduled care “will have to be scaled back even more than would normally be the case during a public holiday and the days surrounding it,” he added.
More than half a million operations and appointments have been postponed in the last six months of the industrial action.
Previous strikes by nurses have created disruptions in areas where timely treatment of patients is essential, including emergency, critical care, mental health and cancer services.
The NHS confederation has already called for mental health disorders to be overhauled, but says this alone will not be enough to protect patient safety in local services.
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “While NHS leaders understand why the RCN is strengthening its stance on industrial action, they fear that the lack of exceptions to planned strikes will leave patient care in a vulnerable position.
“This is especially true for patients who require urgent and intensive care.
NHS leaders fear the measure could lead to hospital wards being overwhelmed on strike days and even prevent some people from getting the care they need.
“We call on the RCN to reinstate these material deviations without delay.”
A spokesperson for the RCN said: “Employers are responsible for the safety of the workforce and we expect them to cancel non-urgent clinical work and electoral procedures during the strike period.
“We know this is a difficult task and there are exceptional circumstances where we will call a strike at any hospital.”
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
