Home Office minister refuses to rule out nurses strikes continuing for months
18 January 2023, 08:55 | Updated: 18 January 2023, 09:23
Home Office Minister Robert Jenrick hopes the RCN 'will change their mind'
Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick did not rule out nurses continuing to strike for months.
The conversation comes as thousands of nurses across England walk out on strike as a bitter pay dispute with the Government continues but the Health Secretary has warned "unaffordable" wage rises "will mean cutting patient care".
Quizzing the Minister Nick asked if it was correct the government was willing to let NHS staff keep striking for several more months before a new pay deal comes into effect in April.
Read more: Nurses return to picket line as temps offered £40 an hour to break strike
"Can you confirm that Minister, good morning?"
Speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, Mr Jenrick said: "We don't want these strikes to proceed. We are approaching these discussions with the greatest spirit of reasonableness and collegiality, meeting with members of the Royal College of Nursing and other trade union bodies as regularly as we can.
"But we don't want the strikes to continue for one day longer than is necessary. We're asking the unions to call them off because they will be harmful to patients, they will endanger the safety of the public and they will make it much harder to tackle the backlog of cases."
Former RCN president Professor Anne Marie Rafferty speaks to LBC
Nursing staff from more than 55 NHS trusts will take part in industrial action on Wednesday and Thursday following two days of action in December.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has announced that two further, bigger strikes will be held next month, while the GMB union is expected to announce further ambulance worker strike dates on Wednesday afternoon.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said while he recognises the cost of living pressures on NHS staff, "unaffordable pay rises" will stoke inflation.
Iain Dale asks NEU's Daniel Kebede about the consequences of impending teaching strikes.
The NHS is reminding patients to attend all their usual appointments unless they have been contacted, and to seek urgent care if needed during the strikes.
NHS England said patients should use services "wisely" by going to NHS 111 online but continuing to call 999 in a life-threatening emergency.
Deputy chief nursing officer Charlotte McArdle said: "The NHS has tried and tested methods in place to manage any disruption and has been working hard to minimise the impact for patients."
Thousands of operations and appointments are expected to be cancelled during the two consecutive days of strike action. Almost 30,000 needed to be rescheduled following December's nurse strikes.
The health service is likely to run a bank holiday-style service in many areas.
The RCN has agreed to staff chemotherapy, emergency cancer services, dialysis, critical care units, neonatal and paediatric intensive care.
Some areas of mental health and learning disability and autism services are also exempt from the strike, while trusts will be told they can request staffing for specific clinical needs.
When it comes to adult A&E and urgent care, nurses will work Christmas Day-style rotas.
