The NHS strikes must be resolved before the “winter onslaught,” according to health managers.
Saffron Cordery, temporary chief executive of NHS Providers, stated that extended strike action was the “last thing” the NHS needs as winter approaches.
She stated there was no question that people would suffer as a result of higher hospital treatment wait times.
Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) have voted to strike, prompting unions to meet with ministers on Tuesday.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay is meeting with leaders of the RCN as well as representatives of the other major NHS unions, including Unison, GMB, and Unite, who are voting on industrial action.
The votes might prompt paramedics, health care assistants, porters, and cleaners to strike with nurses.
While emergency treatment will be protected during the RCN strike, there is “no doubt” that patients will still be affected, according to Ms. Cordery.
The greatest concern is that the waiting list for scheduled treatment will continue to expand – there are currently over seven million individuals in England awaiting treatment, a record high.
Ms. Cordery stated, “We understand the dissatisfaction felt by nurses as a result of years of below-inflation pay settlements, the rising cost of living, and working through a pandemic, and we urge both sides in these negotiations to reach an agreement that recognizes their hard work and expertise.
“Prolonged industrial action is currently the last thing the health service needs. It’s encouraging to see debate occurring.”
Mr. Barclay met briefly with RCN general secretary Patricia Cullen last week after it was announced that union members had voted for strikes in more than half of England’s hospitals, mental health, and community services. Also affected by the strike action are Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The meeting must be more than a formality.
Tuesday’s meeting does not signal the resumption of formal salary negotiations, but it is the first time the two parties have met since early summer.
Rachel Harrison, national secretary of the GMB, stated that “more than a box-ticking exercise” is required if the government wants to avert a historic winter of strikes.
Mr. Barclay cautioned over the weekend in the Sunday Telegraph that the RCN’s proposals for a 17% pay increase were simply untenable and would exacerbate inflation.
According to the recommendations of the independent NHS Pay Review Body, the English government has handed NHS personnel, including nurses, an average raise of 4.75 percent.
In honor of the work done during the pandemic, the government noted that this came after a 3% salary raise last year – at a time when the rest of the public sector faced a pay freeze.
NHS Providers is hosting its annual conference of NHS executives in Liverpool on Tuesday and Wednesday, coinciding with Ms. Cordery’s statement on strikes.
Many of its members indicated they were more apprehensive about this winter than any other in their careers, per member feedback.
As continuous strains from Covid, the potential of strikes, and the cost-of-living problem mix with the regular winter pressures, some anticipate an “onslaught” in the coming months.
Ms. Cordery stated that alarm bells should be ringing across Whitehall.
