Nurses have a far stronger case than the government

A national strike by nurses is due to happen on 15 and 20 December (albeit not in Scotland, where strike action has been paused as talks continue).

- SEAN O'GRADY

It's about pay but the Royal College of Nurses (RCN) insists it's also about patient safety, as "staffing levels are so low that patient care is being compromised. Only by paying nursing staff fairly will we recruit and retain people in our profession."

The nature of the action is not yet clear. It might be relatively few areas, or for only a few hours, and levels of cover may vary. Or it could be more national, last a full 24 hours, and cover everything bar emergency care. The RCN is calling for a wage increase based on the RPI inflation rate (which was 14.2 per cent in October) plus 5 per cent. The government in Scotland is talking about 7.5 per cent, and in England, the UK government wants to implement the recommendations of the independent pay review body: a pay rise of at least £1,400 with the lowest earners receiving up to 9.3 per cent

The Department of Health states that "the average basic pay for nurses will increase from around £35,600 as of March 2022 to around £37,000 and the basic pay for newly qualified nurses will increase by 5.5 per cent from £25,655 last year to £27,055."

The nurses join many thousands of other workers in taking industrial action, in what is shaping up to be - media catchphrase alert! - a winter of discontent.