Nurses went on strike for a second day today (Tuesday, December 20) as dozens joined the picket lines outside hospitals across Bristol. At Southmead, South Bristol and at the various sites around the Bristol Royal Infirmary, members of the Royal College of Nursing came out and picketed as part of their ongoing dispute with the Government over staffing levels and pay.
Outside the BRI and the Children’s Hospital, drivers passing along Upper Maudlin Street kept up an almost constant stream of beeps in support, as nurses spoke of their sadness at having to strike for the first time in their careers. One nurse, who was leading the picket line outside the BRI as the picket supervisor, said he had been a nurse for 35 years and this was the first time he was out on strike.
He said the union and hospital bosses had made sure there were safe staffing levels inside the hospital. “Our number one priority is patient safety, that’s one of the reasons why we’re striking at the moment. We have something called derogation, which means that there’s safe staffing for the wards so we can continue the service as best we can,” he said.
