RCN nurses strike at Worcestershire Royal Hospital

As car horns beeped in support, striking staff gathered outside the hospital in arctic temperatures.

They join nurses up and down the country as they took part in industrial action over pay.

It marks the biggest strike in the history of nursing as members of the Royal College of Nursing called for a pay rise.

One of those at the picket line, who would only give his name as Brian and worked in neonatal intensive care, said: “We are here today demanding better patient safety, better working conditions and underpinned by that is a pay that reflects the skills and knowledge that all who work in healthcare deliver.

“As a profession, we have a duty of care to look after our patients and unfortunately over the last 12 years this Tory government has done everything in their power to undermine that.

“We have had promises upon promises which have all been lies, the 40 new hospitals and 50,000 staff we were supposed to get are nowhere to be seen

“Because of these cuts, and the fact that post-Covid staff are leaving in droves which is putting on more pressure, it cannot be sustained.”

Brian and the striking staff outside Worcestershire Royal Hospital (Image: Newsquest)

Across the country, more than 70,000 appointments, procedures and surgeries have been lost as a result of the strike.

Despite this, he believes they will have the public’s full support.

“I think the public do support us because fundamentally it’s the public that we are trying to protect," he said.

“Everyone here has kids or vulnerable people in their family and the last thing they want is for them to come in and not be given the care they need because we don’t have the funds and the support from this government.

“We have taken patient safety first and foremost and I can tell you that the wards today are probably better staffed than they were yesterday.

“Today, on a strike day where we are trying to make a difference, patients will probably get better care than on the other 364 days of the year.

“If you were going to be ill, come in today because the wards are actually better staffed.”

The official picket outside the hospital (Image: Newsquest)

Outside the Royal, passing motorists beeped their horns in support and a striking postal worker came down to hand out homemade cakes.

Joining the staff in solidarity was former nurse Christine Graham and daughter Lucy, whose relative was striking today.

Christine said: “The nurses are not being heard.

Christine and Lucy Graham came to show their support (Image: Newsquest)

“They care passionately about how well their patients are looked after and at the moment they are not being able to do what they need to do because they are stretched to the max

“I see my daughter come home and she is so exhausted

“It is so utterly, bitterly cold and these people wouldn’t be out her if they didn’t care.”