Biggest NHS strike sees 40k nurses and 999 staff walk out – full list revealed

BRITAIN is facing the biggest strike in history by healthcare workers as nurses and ambulances go out today

People will face a care “zip code lottery” across the country, with tens of thousands of workers from the two unions returning to picket lines after a dispute over pay.

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Brits have also been warned to only call 999 in “life-threatening” circumstances.

It comes five days after the country was brought to a standstill by industrial action that disrupted trains, schools and public services.

The RCN is demanding a 19 per cent pay rise despite hinting it could meet the government “halfway”.

Unions representing rescue workers also want wage increases above inflation, but have not given a figure.

The government insists the demands are unpayable and that wage increases will be decided by independent wage review bodies.

This next wave of strikes will cause “enormous disruption” to the health service, NHS leaders have warned.

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, told Sky News: “I think it’s going to be a day of huge disruption across the NHS, it’s going to be incredibly challenging.”

Up to 600 members of the armed forces stood ready to step in last night to ease the chaos as talks over pay and conditions stalled.

More NHS strikes will take place over the next few days, with nurses set to return to the picket fence tomorrow (February 7), along with midwives on Wednesday (February 9) and 999 workers on Friday (February 10).

“We are planning an incredibly disruptive week,” Saffron said.

“For example, what we used to have with industrial action was that community nurses were able to fill the gaps that were created when ambulance workers went on strike, but of course that becomes incredibly difficult when nurses and ambulances are out today,” explained she .

Maria Caulfield, Secretary of State for Mental Health and Women’s Health Strategy, said she sympathized with striking nurses but argued “anti-inflationary wage increases” could not be delivered.

The Conservative MP and nurse told GB News: “I’m an RCN member myself so I’m in both camps if you will – I have a lot of sympathy.

“But we also have a responsibility to the taxpayer and we had an independent process with the Payroll Verification Board, which the unions joined and were very happy with the settlement last year.

“And it’s difficult for us now, if we want to give the nurses a raise, we’d have to look at the teachers and ambulance drivers.

“We just can’t afford the anti-inflationary wage increases that the unions are currently demanding.”

But Sharon Graham of the Unite union said the government should start negotiations over pay or face a “continuous cycle” of strikes.

Speaking at a vigil in Wales, Sharon said: “There will be no other way to end this argument until they get down to a table and talk about pay.

“[The Government] said on many occasions that they are in constructive discussions; First of all, I don’t know what these constructive talks are – they certainly don’t get paid.

“And second, I can’t put constructive conversations on a ballot.

“What we need is the talks with Rishi Sunak or Stephen Barclay for pay, we can get an offer and then withhold that from the members.

“This has to happen. Until then, we’re in this constant cycle of strike action that obviously nobody wants.

“Our members do not want to go on strike. They want to be at work and serve the country.”

RCN General Secretary Pat Cullen said: “Everyone can see the resilience of our nursing staff, these brilliant people who are on the picket line today and are losing another day’s wages. They say the patients have had enough, they’ve had enough.”

Meanwhile said Dr. Adrian Boyle, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine: “While strikes can disrupt emergency care and pose a risk to patient safety, we know that patient safety has long been at risk due to years of under-provision, under-funding, shortages of staff, shortages of beds and inadequate and inadequate community and social care.

On January 9th, the British Medical Association (BMA) opened a ballot for young doctors that will run until February 20th.

The BMA says staff will leave for 72 hours in March if the vote is successful.