Britain witnessed its first strike by nurses in the 16-year history of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) on Thursday, as tens of thousands of NHS workers walked out or joined picket lines. The industrial action, the largest in NHS history, saw nurses describe colleagues in tears, crippled by burnout, with no time for breaks or food.
Nurses reported being forced to eat leftover patient food, use food banks, and borrow money. Michael Rooney, a nurse of 27 years, said his son, a newly qualified mental health nurse, earns £25,600, not the £32,000 the government claims. “We are the people who everyone clapped for and yet the Government is forcing us on to the picket line today,” he said.
The strike led to the postponement of hundreds of appointments and procedures across Northern Ireland, including 587 outpatient appointments at the Western Trust. Rita Devlin, RCN director in Northern Ireland, said staff are “being expected to deal with unsafe staffing levels, leaving them unable to provide the care for patients that they want to.”
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said the strike “went as expected” thanks to cooperation between unions and NHS organisations. However, he warned: “The government cannot just sit back and let future strikes happen when patient care is on the line.” RCN General Secretary Pat Cullen said there is a “very strong possibility” of fresh strike dates in January.
Nurses on picket lines voiced deep concerns. Michelle Showell, a trauma nurse, said: “Our patients are everything for us… We just want enough staff on the ward to do our job effectively.” Melissa Magson, a specialist nurse, added: “It breaks my heart that, right now, I’d tell [my children] to find another career.” Another nurse, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I use a food bank… nurses are sleeping in their cars.”
