Hospitals are bracing themselves for “exceptionally low” staff numbers in some regions as nurses go on strike, NHS England has warned, as it said appointment cancellations due to industrial action are likely to hit half a million.
A strike by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will take place from 8pm on Sunday until 11.59pm on Monday evening after a High Court judge ruled on Thursday it would be unlawful for the strike to continue into Tuesday as originally planned.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay secured the court’s interim declaration after bringing legal action against part of the trade union’s proposed walkout in a long-running dispute over pay.
