Fresh nurses strikes may be on the horizon after union bosses vowed to “again push ministers further than they want to go” in 2024.
The Royal College of Nursing’s general secretary, Pat Cullen, said industrial action over the last 12 months had resulted in only “modest progress” despite “an unprecedented amount of anger and optimism”.
She said in a new year’s message: “We were on picket lines across the country either side of last Christmas and we’d never been louder as a profession – pushed there because nobody was listening but very firmly believing something positive would come out of it all.
“How did the year go? Politicians only granted us modest progress – enough to save their own skins but not the revolution that nursing needs and patients deserve.
“Would we do it over again? Yes, by your actions you forced ministers to announce a top-up on the previous year’s pay settlement and give more than they had wanted to for the current year.”
The Government agreed a 5% pay rise for healthcare staff in May after it was backed by the majority of trade unions.
Members of the RCN rejected the offer. However, a June ballot on whether to continue industrial action failed to clear the required turnout threshold, so there were no further strikes.
Ms Cullen insisted college negotiators had “got every penny” possible from the Government, but suggested it would fight for a further pay rise during the coming year.
The RCN plans to ask members about their appetite for fresh industrial action shortly.
Ms Cullen urged members to write to their MPs raising concerns about the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act, which could see hospital workers forced to continue working.
She also promised to seek commitments on safe staffing levels.
More than 40,000 nursing vacancies in the NHS in England mean staff are routinely asked to care for up to 15 patients at once, the RCN said.
A YouGov poll of more than 2,000 adults found 65% thought nurses should not be responsible for more than six patients at once on non-critical wards, and three quarters believed there were not enough nurses to provide safe care.
Some 72% of those surveyed said they would support nurses striking over staffing levels, while 66% supported them striking over pay.
Ms Cullen added: “In 2024, politicians of every party across the UK must rise to the public’s expectations on safe health and care services. Failure to do so will cost them votes and maybe jobs.
“To save their own skins in the new year, their answer will have to be better than what’s gone before.
“Ours is a proud profession with reason to be hopeful – the voice of nursing is a political one and we intend to use it.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We hugely value the hard work of NHS nurses, which is why we provided a 5% pay rise and two significant one-off awards – worth over £2,000 on average for full-time nurses.
“This deal, which the RCN recommended its members accept, also included a number of commitments to deliver a series of reforms to improve working conditions.
“We have recruited more than 50,000 extra nurses compared to 2019 – hitting our target early – and the Long Term Workforce plan will ensure the NHS has the staff it needs over the next 15 years so patients continue to receive the best possible care.”
