As many as 100,000 NHS nurses will walk out in the first of a series of NHS strikes during an expected winter of discontent.
The Royal College of Nursing has announced the 76 NHS trusts and services that will see nurses down tools for planned strikes on December 15 and 20.
It insists the proportion of its 300,000 membership taking part in walk-outs will increase in January if the Government refuses to open pay negotiations.
General Secretary Pat Cullen said: “Ministers have declined my offer of formal pay negotiations and instead chosen strike action.
“It has left us with no choice but to announce where our members will be going on strike in December.
“Nursing is standing up for the profession and their patients. We’ve had enough of being taken for granted and being unable to provide the care patients deserve.”
Strikes will take place at 53 trusts or services in England, at every NHS employer in Wales except one (12) and throughout Northern Ireland (11).
Possible strikes in Scotland are on hold after the devolved government reopened pay talks and a separate pay offer was made.
NHS England has written a letter to all health leaders setting out priority services to maintain during strikes to enable “minimum Bank Holiday level of service”.
Priority services include cancer treatment, renal dialysis, mental health inpatient services and community services that enable hospital patients to be discharged.
It stated that negotiations between trusts and local RCN reps must ensure “minimum staff levels are available to deliver emergency, immediate life, limb or organ-saving intervention”.
There is already a record NHS treatment backlog of 7.1 million appointments in England alone and deadly delays in emergency care.
It follows reports that the Tories will attempt to blame striking carers for growing NHS backlogs this winter.
A ballot of more than 15,000 ambulance workers in England and Wales who are members of the GMB closed Tuesday, with results likely to be announced in the next few days.
Paramedics, cleaners, porters, pharmacy technicians and administrative staff are among more than 300,000 healthcare workers in the GMB trade union whose strike ballot closed on Friday.
Midwives are holding a ballot for industrial action and junior doctors have said they will vote on a strike early next year.
It follows a decade of below inflation pay awards for NHS staff and a 4-5% deal this year well below RPI inflation of 12.6%.
The RCN is demanding a pay award 5% above inflation while other unions are calling for pay to match inflation.
Ms Cullen added: “Ministers still have the power and the means to stop this by opening negotiations that address our dispute.”
On Monday Health Secretary Steve Barclay attended Downing Street for a meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and NHS leaders including NHS England boss Amanda Pritchard.
So far Mr Barclay has met with the RCN but refused to be drawn on pay.
Mr Barclay said: “I am hugely grateful for the hard work and dedication of nurses and deeply regret some union members will be taking industrial action.
“These are challenging times for everyone and the economic circumstances mean the RCN’s demands are not affordable.
“Our priority is keeping patients safe. The NHS has tried and tested plans in place to minimise disruption and ensure emergency services continue to operate.”
NHS Services where strikes planned for December 15 and 20
England
East Midlands Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
East Midlands NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB
East Midlands Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
East Midlands Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
East Midlands Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Eastern Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Eastern Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Eastern Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust
Eastern Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust
Eastern NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB
Eastern Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
London Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust
London Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust
London Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
London NHS North Central London ICB
London Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
North West Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
North West Health Education England
North West Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Found Trust
North West Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
North West Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust
North West Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
North West The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Found Trust
North West The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust
Northern Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
Northern Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Northern The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
South East Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
South East Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
South East Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
South West Devon Partnership NHS Trust
South West Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
South West Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
South West Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
South West NHS Bath, North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB (BSW Together)
South West NHS Devon ICB (One Devon)
South West NHS Gloucestershire ICB (One Gloucestershire)
South West North Bristol NHS Trust
South West Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
South West Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust
South West Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
South West University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
South West University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
West Midlands Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust
West Midlands Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust
West Midlands NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB (BSol ICB)
West Midlands The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
West Midlands University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
West Midlands Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Yorkshire & Humber Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Yorkshire & Humber Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust
Yorkshire & Humber NHS England
Yorkshire & Humber The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Wales
Wales Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Wales Powys Teaching Local Health Board
Wales Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust Headquarters
Wales Hywel Dda University Health Board
Wales Swansea Bay University Health Board
Wales Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
Wales Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board
Wales Velindre NHS Trust
Wales Public Health Wales
Wales Health Education and Improvement Wales Health Authority
Wales NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
Wales Digital Health and Care Wales
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council
Northern Ireland Southern Health and Social Care Trust
Northern Ireland Western Health and Social Care Trust
Northern Ireland Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Northern Ireland Business Services Organisation
Northern Ireland Regulation & Quality Improvement Authority
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service
Northern Ireland Public Health Agency
Northern Ireland Northern Health and Social Care Trust
Northern Ireland South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Ambulance Service
