Nurses announce next strike and warn staff cover will be cut to ‘absolute minimum’
NURSES will strike again in two weeks and walk out of A&Es, intensive care and cancer units for the first time.
Walkouts will hit for 48 straight hours over three days at even more hospitals, leaving only “absolute minimum” NHS staffing.
Medics at 120 NHS trusts will take part from Wednesday March 1 to Friday March 3 – up from 77 organisations in February and 44 in December.
Pat Cullen, general secretary at the Royal College of Nursing, said: “These strikes will run for longer and involve more people, leaving no area of the NHS unaffected.
“By refusing to negotiate with nurses, the Prime Minister is pushing even more people into the strike. He must listen to NHS leaders and not let this go ahead.
“I will do whatever I can to ensure patient safety is protected.”
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Upping pressure on ministers, the union has binned talks to keep services running and said there will be no exemptions this time.
It means staff can abandon casualty, intensive care, cancer treatment and children’s hospitals.
Around 140,000 appointments and operations have already been cancelled due to strikes.
Hospital bosses say they are “deeply concerned” that thousands more patients will suffer.
Sir Julian Hartley, chief of NHS Providers said: “A continuous 48-hour strike with no exceptions will be a huge blow.
“Without a resolution, this ongoing dispute could lead to serious, long-term damage to the NHS.”
The next NHS strike will be tomorrow involving ambulance crews in the West Midlands, followed by Unite and GMB members at eight out of 11 services on Monday.
Ministers and union chiefs are still at loggerheads over pay as the Government says it cannot afford staff’s demands.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Failure to provide cover during strike action for key services like cancer care is a significant escalation that will risk patient safety.
“We are working closely with NHS England on contingency plans, but this action will inevitably cause further disruption for patients.
“I’ve had a series of discussions with unions, including the RCN, about what is fair and affordable for the coming year, as well as wider concerns around conditions and workload.”