Nurses in Harrogate take to picket line for first day of strike action

The picket line outside the hospital on Lancaster Park Road is the first of two 12-hour strikes called by the Royal College of Nursing.

Harrogate is one of 70 trusts in England that will strike as part of the largest organised action in NHS history.

During this time, the hospital will remain open to provide care for patients who require treatment and key services, such as their Emergency Department.

A spokesperson for the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said: “The safety of our patients is our utmost priority and we have contingency plans in place to minimise any impact industrial action will have.

“During strike action, urgent and emergency treatment will be our priority.

"We are working in partnership with the Royal College of Nursing to make sure that all arrangements mean we can deliver safe services, while facilitating and respecting the right of those staff who wish to take legal industrial action.

"Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases – when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.”

It is the latest industrial action to take place in the Harrogate district after ambulance workers, rail workers and postal workers all went on strike over the festive period.

Here is everything you need to know about the strikes…

When is the strike?

The strikes will take place from 7.15am to 8.15pm today (January 18) and tomorrow (January 19) and there will be a picket line outside the hospital on Lancaster Park Road.

Two days of strikes were held in England, Northern Ireland and Wales on December 15 and 20 but Harrogate nurses did not take part.

What services will be affected?

During the December strikes, thousands of appointments across the country were cancelled or postponed.

A Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said the hospital will contact patients that have appointments on strike days to let them know if they are still going ahead.

All life-preserving treatment must be provided and nurses in intensive and emergency care will be expected to continue working.

However, routine operations such as hip or knee replacements are likely to be affected.

Why are nurses striking?

According to the Royal College of Nursing, 25,000 nursing staff across the United Kingdom left the Nursing and Midwifery Council register last year.

It's left hospitals with staff shortages which the union feels has compromised patient safety.

The union argues that many people are leaving the profession or deciding to work for private providers due to low pay within the NHS.

It has repeatedly called for a pay increase of 5% above inflation.

However, the government says this increase would be unaffordable to tax payers.

Pat Cullan, Royal College of Nursing General Secretary and Chief Executive, said: “The government had the opportunity to end this dispute before Christmas but instead they have chosen to push nursing staff out into the cold again in January.

"I do not wish to prolong this dispute but the Prime Minister has left us with no choice.

“The public support has been heart-warming and I am more convinced than ever that this is the right thing to do for patients and the future of the NHS.

“The voice of nursing will not be ignored.

"Staff shortages and low pay make patient care unsafe – the sooner ministers come to the negotiating table, the sooner this can be resolved.

"I will not dig in, if they don’t dig in."

When will the dispute be resolved?

The Royal College of Nursing is yet to reach an agreement with the government over the dispute but talks have been ongoing since December's strikes.

The government has raised the possibility of a one-off hardship payment to nursing staff but an offer has not been made.

In an interview with the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg last week, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "The door has always been open to talk about the things that nurses want to talk about".

A Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: “While pay is a matter for government and the trade unions, we greatly value our staff and want to see a resolution as soon as possible to ensure we can continue to focus on delivering high quality patient care to all those who need it.

“We understand the importance of good pay and conditions for individuals and their families, as well as wider NHS staff retention and recruitment."