A chink of optimism is how the general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing described the effect of the Prime Minister’s overtures to NHS staff this weekend. And indeed, the shift in tone from the Government’s previous rhetoric about strike bans is welcome. Today the Health Secretary Steve Barclay engages in talks with the health unions on ways of resolving the impasse over this year’s pay deal. This is a change of attitude, a change of approach and it is very welcome.
The Government feels it cannot simply concede all the nurses’ pay demands — 19 per cent — without damaging its credibility on tackling inflation and setting a precedent for other striking workers in the public sector, including teachers.
