Your web browser is outdated and may be insecure

The RCN recommends using an updated browser such as Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome

RCN announces further strike action in February after UK Government fails to start negotiations

Press Release 16/01/2023

The Royal College of Nursing today announces further strike action in England and Wales in February following the Government’s refusal to negotiate with the union.

If progress is not made by the end of January, RCN members in England and Wales will strike again for 12 hours on both Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 February 2023.

In England, there will be action at 73 NHS trusts compared to 44 in December and 55 in January.

The RCN will not take action in Northern Ireland on this occasion. In Scotland, strike action remains paused while negotiations continue.

Ahead of February’s action, further strikes are planned in England on Wednesday and Thursday this week. Nursing staff will strike at 55 NHS trusts in England that were not part of December’s first wave of industrial action.

The RCN held its first-ever national strike last month (December).

Today’s announcement to escalate action even further comes after the RCN has repeatedly urged ministers to open negotiations on NHS pay. Its dispute is about the award for this financial year (2022-23).

The value of salaries for experienced nurses today are 20 per cent lower in real terms due to successive below-inflation pay awards since 2010.

The RCN says low pay is pushing nursing staff out of the profession and contributing to record vacancies.

The new strike dates in February coincide with the tenth anniversary of the Robert Francis inquiry and his findings on the impact of nurse shortages on patient mortality.

RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Pat Cullen said:

“It is with a heavy heart that nursing staff are striking this week and again in three weeks. Rather than negotiate, 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.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

List of trusts where strike action will take on 6 and 7 February can be found below.

 WALES

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

Powys Teaching Local Health Board

Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust Headquarters

Hywel Dda University Health Board

Swansea Bay University Health Board

Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board

Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board

Velindre NHS Trust

Public Health Wales

Health Education and Improvement Wales Health Authority

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership

Digital Health and Care Wales

ENGLAND

North West         

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Wrightington Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Found Trust

St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Found Trust

The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Found Trust

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust

Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust

Northern

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust

The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Yorkshire & The Humber     

Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust

West Midlands    

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust

Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

East Midlands

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust

London     

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust

St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

South East

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust

Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

South East Coast Ambulance Service

South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

South West         

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust

Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust

North Bristol NHS Trust

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Found Trust

Eastern      

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

 

Researchers at London Economics, commissioned by the RCN, looked at the pay awards that NHS Agenda for Change nursing staff have been given in the UK since 2010. They found that in real terms, the salary of an experienced nurse has fallen by 20% in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 16% in Scotland.

They also found that the Exchequer would recoup 81% of the initial outlay in terms of higher tax receipts and savings on future recruitment and retention costs. The report can be found here.

 

Press Office Contacts

Nick Spears, Senior Media Officer
020 7647 3696

Claire Nelson, Senior Media Officer
029 2054 6401

Nina Romain, Media Officer
020 7647 3555

Michael Finlayson, Media Officer
020 7647 3459

Out of hours duty press officer
020 7647 3633