A record 145,000 RCN members cast ballots, with two-thirds of them voting against the current year’s wage allocation in England.
“We are witnessing a fundamental shift in the determination of nursing staff to stand up for themselves, their patients, and the NHS they believe in,” RCN general secretary Professor Nicola Ranger wrote in a letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
Many will accept that the NHS is failing and will back the new government’s health and care agenda as outlined in recent weeks. Nursing workers are essential to the service since they collaborate closely with all other professionals.
The government will continue to get our backing for the measures that are essential to their success.”
Professor Ranger went on, “Safe numbers and a sense of value are essential for improving standards and reforming the NHS.” The question of whether the wage award was a reasonable beginning after over ten years of neglect was posed to the nursing staff.
“This outcome shows their expectations of government are far higher.”
She stated that “understaffed shifts, poor patient care, and nursing careers trapped at the lowest pay grades” are the top concerns among nurses.
In response to the news, Mr. Streeting issued a statement stating that Labour recognized the difficulties recent years had placed on nurses “and how hard it is” right now.
