Nurses across Wales have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action in a "historic moment" for the profession. Twelve out of 13 NHS employers in Wales reached the 50% turnout threshold, which means that nurses based in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (49.6% turnout) will not be involved in the walkout as things stand.
NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts were told earlier this year that they would receive a £1,400 pay rise which equates to an average of 4.75% - a decision described as "pitiful and insulting". Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales said strike action among its members was "a last resort" but one that was reached due to the Welsh Government's "continual denial and inaction on addressing the issues facing nursing staff which are comprising patient care".
RCN Wales has confirmed that the first period of industrial action can be expected in December and that its mandate to organise strikes runs until early May 2023, six months after members finished voting. Its members were balloted from October 6 to November 2.
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Nurses in every service in Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to strike, but in England the turnout was too low in nearly half of NHS trusts for action to take place. The strike will be the first time UK-wide action is being taken by RCN members in its 106-year history. The RCN asked for 5% above the RPI rate of inflation which stands at over 12%.
Helen Whyley, the director of RCN Wales, said: "It is a really historic day for RCN Wales. It is the first time in our history that we've undertaken a statutory ballot and our members have voted overwhelmingly for strike action. It's humbling to see such a broad sweep of results.
"I have been hearing this strength of feeling [for strike action] for months now, so I am not surprised at the result. The nurses I've spoken to have talked about how they feel patient care is not safe. They've spoken about how they feel demoralised, exhausted and overworked.
"In every single employer, including Aneurin Bevan, the percentage of people voting for strike action was in the high 80s and low 90s. I can't imagine how frustrating it feels for nurses to have have lost [Aneurin Bevan] by such a short margin, but we will be reconsidering our position and speaking to members there. We'll be reviewing that over the next few days and weeks.
"Over the next few days we'll be discussing with our elected council, and our boards in Wales, what our tactics and next steps will be. We have a statutory obligation to inform employers within 14 days of strike action, and we will ensure that we comply with that."
NHS employers who met the threshold to strike include:
- Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
- Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
- Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
- Digital Health and Care Wales
- Health Education and Improvement Wales
- Hywel Dda University Health Board
- NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
- Powys Teaching Health Board
- Public Health Wales
- Swansea Bay University Health Board
- Velindre University NHS Trust
- Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust.
Ms Whyley said the strike will undoubtedly cause disruption across the health service and lead to routine appointments and procedures being cancelled. But she stressed that lifesaving services will be protected.
"Some nurses on strike will still go into work because they will be required to ensure that patients are safe, but there will be disruption, make no bones about that," she added. "We are doing this because things need to change, and if it takes disruption to do that, then we are prepared to do that.
"So yes, it may mean some routine operations are postponed. It may mean that outpatient appointments aren't undertaken, but what it will definitely never mean is any patient is put at risk."
Ms Whyley said the Welsh Government's pay offer has led to "hundreds" of nurses leaving the profession and choosing to work elsewhere. "When my members say 'you need to pay me more', what they're also saying is 'you need to pay me and the people who stand next to me more, because the people standing next to me are leaving, and that's not safe for the patients I look after'."
According to RCN Wales, the Welsh NHS spent £133.4m on nursing and midwifery agencies in 2021/2022, an increase of 41% compared to the previous year. "Agency staff absolutely have their place in a very temporary situation where you are having difficulties with a rota. What I'm seeing is agency staff becoming the norm. I'm going onto wards where every person working there is agency apart from one person.
"That's not good quality or continuity of care for patients. This overreliance on agency nursing is a stark fact that demonstrates how this government must act immediately to attract and retain nurses."
According to RCN Wales there are currently 3,000 registered nurse vacancies in NHS Wales, up from 1,719 in 2021. Ms Whyley added: "A fairly rewarded nursing profession that feels valued stays at work and works as a team to look after patients. A profession that doesn't feel properly rewarded or valued leaves in their droves."
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "We recognise why so many nurses voted the way they did and we agree nurses should be fairly rewarded for their important work.
"We also recognise the anger and disappointment many public sector workers are feeling at the moment. There are however limits to how far we can go to address these concerns in Wales without additional funding from the UK Government.
"Following the ballot result, we will work with NHS organisations and health boards on their contingency plans. The public should be assured that arrangements will be made with RCN Wales to ensure there will always be a safe level of staffing, with life-saving and life-maintaining care being provided during any industrial action."
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