Nurses strike: NHS staff say ‘World Cup got more coverage’ at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital picket line

“We want to make a difference, we want fair pay and we want patient safety.”
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Striking nurses on a picket line at St Thomas’ hospital have said they were “saddened” to see the “World Cup got more coverage than the nurses strike”.

Around 100,000 nurses across England, Northern Ireland, and Wales have begun the first of two day-long strikes over real-terms pay cuts, conditions and fears over patient safety.

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Strikes will also take place on December 20, and the two walkouts are the biggest ever round of industrial action by NHS nurses.

Royal College of Nursing (RCN), which wants a 19% pay rise, or inflation plus 5%, general secretary Pat Cullen said it was “a tragic day for nursing, it’s a tragic day for patients”.

Striking staff have rallied at a picket line outside St Thomas’ Hospital, in Westminster.

Leonie Callahan (left) and Caroline Hunter. Photo: LondonWorldLeonie Callahan (left) and Caroline Hunter. Photo: LondonWorld
Leonie Callahan (left) and Caroline Hunter. Photo: LondonWorld

Leonie Callahan, specialist tissue viability nurse in the community, told LondonWorld they were striking because “things need to change”.

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She said: “There are massive issues within nursing, nobody wants to stay in nursing anymore and there’s a real shortage of the staff.

“We want to make a difference, we want fair pay and we want patient safety.”

Will Malcher, RCN rep and nurse. Photo: LondonWorldWill Malcher, RCN rep and nurse. Photo: LondonWorld
Will Malcher, RCN rep and nurse. Photo: LondonWorld

And Caroline Hunter, fellow community specialist tissue viability nurse, added: “At the moment we feel the safety levels are really low.

“We’re not attracting people to the career and so sadly patients will suffer and we don’t want that at all

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“We actually work in the community, so we’ve got patients in the community at heart as well.”

She continued: “I was saying this morning, I was quite saddened to see that the World Cup got more coverage than the nurses strike.”

During the strikes, staff are delivering “life preserving” and urgent care, but routine services and treatments, such as hernia repair and hip replacements, are set to face disruption.

The government says RCN pay demands are unaffordable and it has met independent recommendations on nursing salaries.

Nurses and supporters gather to demonstrate outside St Thomas’ hospital. Photo: GettyNurses and supporters gather to demonstrate outside St Thomas’ hospital. Photo: Getty
Nurses and supporters gather to demonstrate outside St Thomas’ hospital. Photo: Getty
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Health minister Maria Caulfield told Sky News: "We can’t go to 19%, that’s unrealistic.

"We could have ignored the pay review bodies recommendations and gone for a much lower pay rise but we did it higher.

"We could go higher but we have got to find that money from somewhere - this isn’t government money, this is taxpayers’ money.”

She added: "The three options open to us if we were to have to fund a higher pay rise is either to borrow the money, tax people more, or take that money from frontline staff."

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But Pat Cullen said health secretary Steve Barclay did not discuss pay during their meeting.

Commenting on today’s strike. Ms Cullen added: “For many of us, this is our first time striking and our emotions are really mixed.

“The NHS is in crisis, the nursing profession can’t take any more, our loved ones are already suffering.

“It is not unreasonable to demand better… we are committed to our patients and always will be.”