This winter is a worrying time for our nation. For months, households have been having to scrimp by a cost-of-living surge pushed by rising power costs.
Now, within the midst of a bitterly chilly snap, they’re additionally having to take care of an outbreak of disruptive strikes throughout important public providers.
Final week the Royal School of Nursing staged a one-day walkout. For the primary time within the union’s historical past, hanging nurses joined picket strains.
The RCN plans a second day of commercial motion on Tuesday, with ambulance crews and name handlers set to comply with the subsequent day.
Final week the Royal School of Nursing staged a one-day walkout. For the primary time within the union’s historical past, hanging nurses joined picket strains. The RCN plans a second day of commercial motion on Tuesday, with ambulance crews and name handlers set to comply with the subsequent day
Pictured: An ambulance drives previous as nurses and supporters collect to show exterior St Thomas’ Hospital in Westminster on December 15, 2022
Many individuals shall be anxious in regards to the influence on NHS providers. As Well being and Social Care Secretary, my foremost responsibility is the protection of sufferers and the general public.
That’s the reason I’ve carried out my utmost to hearken to the issues raised by unions and maintain a dialogue with them all through this dispute.
Opposite to the claims made in some quarters in current days, I’ve carried out all the things attainable to fulfill and speak to union leaders – and am decided to proceed to take action.
And after I sit down on the desk with union representatives, I freely admit I wish to push the dialog past pay calls for to the essential problems with affected person security and the working situations for employees in our NHS.
These are issues that NHS managers and employees elevate with me on daily basis of the week.
I’m in awe of the incredible work our devoted nurses do, and I wish to have constructive conversations to repair these challenges and enhance the expertise of working within the NHS.
Regardless of their claims, some union leaders would fairly grandstand on picket strains and in TV studios than sit down and have a constructive dialog. Strikes are in nobody’s pursuits, least of all sufferers.
After I sit down on the desk with union representatives, I freely admit I wish to push the dialog past pay calls for to the essential problems with affected person security and the working situations for employees in our NHS
I need to admit to caring that some unions representing ambulance crews are being lower than co-operative in negotiations about employees cowl on strike days. Nobody desires to see sufferers put in danger.
With affected person security as my high precedence, I’ll make each effort to encourage an affordable dialogue about sustaining emergency providers throughout strikes.
Ministers have additionally been listening to issues about pay. Final 12 months, whereas pay was frozen throughout the general public sector, the Authorities gave greater than one million NHS employees a 3 per cent pay improve.
This 12 months, even when cash was tight, we accepted the recommendation of the impartial Pay Evaluation Physique in full, giving nurses and most different NHS employees a pay rise of at the very least £1,400 every.
This Authorities has put the NHS first, simply as we mentioned we might. However the nation fairly merely can not afford the 19 per cent pay hike for nurses that the RCN is demanding. Frankly, neither can the NHS.
I don’t need individuals to overlook out on important remedy and operations, however that’s what will occur if we divert assets from frontline providers into unaffordable pay will increase.
This truth is so stark that even Labour, a celebration so usually held hostage by its commerce union paymasters, admits the RCN calls for are fully unaffordable. It’s time the unions admitted it too.
My plea to union leaders is that this: Let’s maintaining speaking, particularly about affected person security.
And if unions are decided to press forward with strikes, they have to not abandon the responsibility to place affected person security first.
