Nurses at Dorset County Hospital join strike action
Thousands of staff across England are walking out today and tomorrow
Tens of thousands of nurses across the country will head to the picket lines today (Wednesday 18th January) to continue striking over pay and working conditions.
That'll include workers at Dorset County Hospital, who will be making their feelings known outside the main entrance.
Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) went out on strike for the first time in history last month.
They've also announced that two more, bigger strikes will be held next month in England and Wales on February 6 and February 7.
How will services be affected in Dorset?
We've been told that Dorset County Hospital will aim to run as many services as possible during the strike action.
Some outpatient clinics and planned surgery might be cancelled, but affected patients will be informed directly.
If you're not contacted, you're asked to still attend as normal.
Some Minor Injuries Units in Dorset will also be affected by the industrial action - and won't be open today or tomorrow.
'Patient care is suffering like never before'
RCN chief executive Pat Cullen said on Monday:
"It is with a heavy heart that nursing staff are striking this week and again in three weeks. Rather than negotiate, (Prime Minister) Rishi Sunak has chosen strike action again.
"We are doing this in a desperate bid to get him and ministers to rescue the NHS.
"The only credible solution is to address the tens of thousands of unfilled jobs - patient care is suffering like never before.
"My olive branch to Government - asking them to meet me halfway and begin negotiations - is still there. They should grab it."
The RCN has been calling for a pay rise at 5% above inflation, though it has said it will accept a lower offer.
Inflation was running at 7.5% when it submitted the 5% figure to the independent pay review body in March - But inflation has since soared, with RPI standing at 14.2% in September.
On Monday, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said:
"Obviously we would continue to urge unions to step back from strike action, which will have an impact on patient care.
"We know in the first round of strikes 11,000 appointments were cancelled. So it's inevitable that this, on a larger scale, will have a larger impact and that is hugely regrettable at a time when the health service is under significant pressure.
"We feel like there have been constructive talks with the unions and we'd want those to continue rather than taking to the picket lines."
NHS England said patients should use services "wisely" by going to NHS 111 online but continuing to call 999 in a life-threatening emergency.