Health Secretary Steve Barclay
(Picture: PA Wire)Health Secretary Steve Barclay on Monday appeared to snub an offer by nurses unions to prevent Christmas strikes by entering pay negotiations.
Royal College of Nursing (RCN) leader Pat Cullen has vowed to postpone the winter walkout if the Government enters meaningful wage talks.
She said Mr Barclay has turned down her offer to negotiate face-to-face and the union is doing all it can to ensure strikes are a last resort.
Mr Barclay insisted it is the NHS independent pay review body that is responsible for wage increases and the unions and the should "respect" that.
However he is reportedly writing to the RCN to outline times when some discussions can take place, but Downing Street indicated Mr Barclay will not accept the nursing unions’ offer to suspend the strike in return for pay talks.
Mr Barclay told the BBC: "We have honoured in full the pay review body and that's additional to last year when the rest of the public sector had a pay freeze, prioritising the NHS with the extra three per cent. We have an independent body for a reason."
Unions say the Government sets the NHS budget and it could increase funding to trusts to bump up staff pay.
Walkouts are due to take place in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on December 15 and 20.
The RCN is calling for five per cent pay rise above the RPI inflation rate, which was 14.2 per cent in October.
The Government has previously announced average pay increases of 4.5 per cent for doctors and 4.75 per cent for other NHS staff in England next year.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said increasing pay for private sector workers, including nurses, could contribute to spiraling inflation.
"We recognise the position the union's hold is completely sincere because of the challenge of 11 per cent inflation," he told Sky News.
"On the other hand, we also have a sincerely held position, which is that we don't want to do anything that would lock in that high inflation rate for a long time to come.
"So the right answer in a situation like this is to follow an independent process where someone independent looks at the union's position, looks at the Government's position and comes to a fair compromise, and that's what we think should happen and that's why we are supporting the independent Pay Review body processes."
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer urged the Government to “get around the table” and negotiate.
“Get round the table resolve it,” he said. “If the Government gets around the table [Thursday’s strike] doesn't have to go ahead. “
