Nurses across Suffolk strike for the second day in a row
RCN Members walked out yesterday at many of our county's NHS healthcare providers
Nurses across Suffolk are going on strike for a second day in a row today.
RCN Members walked out yesterday at many of our county's NHS healthcare providers.
If progress is not made in this dispute by the end of the month, RCN members say they will strike again for 12 hours on both Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 February.
"It's slowly getting worse"
This nurse from the East told us why she decided to go on strike:
"We are struggling at the moment, there are not staff and patients aren't being looked after as we'd like to look after them.
"It's just not how it used to be, I've been nursing for 25 years now and it's slowly getting worse".
"I feel very strongly that the Government has to open their eyes. They are not in touch with the reality that we, as nurses, have to deal with day in day out.
"It's not an NHS problem, it's a government problem. No hospital or staff wants to do this, but unless we stand our patients will suffer.
"This not about financial greed, it's about protecting our patients."
"I know that morale has drastically gone down. I know that people burnt out, and sickness levels are higher because of that.
"You have also got mental health issues on the rise as well. Ultimately, staff welfare is just as important as patient welfare."
Where are strikes taking place?
West Suffolk NHS FT
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS FT (at both Ipswich and Colchester Hospital)
-Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (at both the Hellesdon and Northgate Hospital)
All the Trusts say they're committed to keeping disruption to a minimum - with a key focus on providing safe care for patients who need urgent and emergency services, and those receiving inpatient care in hospitals.
What has the Government said about this?
The Department for Health says the government has given over one million NHS workers a pay rise of at least £1,400 this year.
The RCN is calling for a 19% pay rise but the Government say these demands are unaffordable and pay rises were decided by independent pay review bodies.
"Look forward to continuing that dialogue"
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:
“Patients will understandably be worried by the prospect of further strike action by nurses - the previous two days of nurse strikes saw around 30,000 elective procedures and outpatient appointments cancelled. It is inevitable industrial action will have an impact on patients.
“I have had constructive talks with the Royal College of Nursing and other unions about the 2023/24 pay process and look forward to continuing that dialogue.”