- Pat Cullen accused politicians of only doing enough to 'save their own skin'
Nurses could strike again in the new year to pursue bigger pay rises, the Royal College of Nursing warned yesterday.
Pat Cullen, the union's general secretary, said this year's strikes had led to only “modest” progress on wages and workforce levels and that more action was needed.
In a message to her half a million members, she accused politicians of doing only enough to 'save their own skin' and failing to bring about the necessary 'revolution'.
Ms Cullen expanded the union's 2024 campaign to include a push for a safe workforce and fair pay for nurses. There are more than 40,000 vacancies for nurses in the English NHS, with staff routinely caring for 10 to 15 patients, which the RCN says is unsafe.
Ms Cullen told members their actions “forced ministers” to top up the previous year's pay scheme and “give more than they would have wanted for the current year”.
Pat Cullen, the union's general secretary, said this year's strikes had led to only “modest” progress on wages and workforce levels and that more action was needed.
She added: '2024 is a general election year and each party will be challenged by the RCN to show clear vision and hard money for nursing, the NHS and social care. Let's make sure we push ministers further than they want again.'
Three days of NHS strike action last week impacted 86,329 inpatient and outpatient appointments, according to figures released by NHS England.
Junior doctors seeking a 35 per cent pay rise went on a 72-hour strike between December 20 and 23 and are now preparing for the longest strike in NHS history from January 3.
NHS England said the number of appointments canceled due to industrial action since December 2022 now exceeds 1.2 million.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director at NHS England, said: 'This latest round of strike action has put significantly more pressure on an already overstretched health service.'
Three days of NHS strike action last week impacted 86,329 inpatient and outpatient appointments, according to figures released by NHS England
Junior doctors seeking a 35 per cent pay rise took a 72-hour break between December 20 and 23 and are now preparing for the longest strike in NHS history
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents healthcare organisations, said NHS leaders 'continue to despair' about the impact of strikes on patients and are looking at next week's six-day doctors' strike with 'dread'.
Health leaders have warned this is likely to lead to widespread disruption as the first week of the new year is typically one of the busiest.
Earlier this year, RCN members were among a minority of non-physician healthcare staff who rejected a 5 per cent pay rise and a lump sum of at least £1,655.
But they were forced to accept the offer because they are part of a coalition of health unions that cast a majority vote in favor of settling the dispute. A subsequent RCN strike vote failed to produce a turnout large enough for further industrial action.
The Department of Health and Social Care said the 5 per cent pay rise and one-off awards were 'worth more than £2,000 on average for full-time nurses'.
A spokesperson said: 'We have recruited more than 50,000 extra nurses compared to 2019… and the Long Term Workforce plan will ensure the NHS has the workforce it needs for the next fifteen years, ensuring patients continue to receive the best possible care to get.'