“I burst out crying in front of everyone because I was so burnt out.” These are the words of Kate Stevens, a nurse based in Swansea. The 24-year-old is speaking about a time she broke down in front of her colleagues because she was moved to an understaffed ward - something she said happens "almost everyday".
Kate is one of thousands of NHS nurses across Wales who flocked to the picket line on Thursday. It is the first time nurses in Wales voted for industrial action as staff from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) walked out in a row over pay. Nurses in all but one health board in Wales were on strike on Thursday with a second strike day planned for December 20.
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board members voted to strike but did not reach the 50% turnout threshold needed for industrial action. Staff say the dispute centres on pay and patient safety with the RCN claiming the number of vacancies in NHS Wales is now at an unprecedented 3,000. It has asked for 5% above the RPI rate of inflation which stands at over 12%, but Welsh Government claims it cannot afford to increase pay without help from the UK government.
