Health Secretary Therese Coffey has said nurses won't get a higher pay offer despite the looming threat of walkouts.
Hundreds of thousands of nurses are being balloted for strike action for the first time in the Royal College of Nursing's (RCN) 106-year history following a dispute over pay and staffing shortages.
This UK-wide ballot comes in response to a £1,400 pay rise announced by the Government in the summer - which amounts to real terms pay cut after inflation.