Patients will be put at risk in nurses strike, Health Secretary warns
PATIENT safety is my first priority as Health and Social Care Secretary.
Industrial action means the safety of patients is put at risk.
Cancelled operations, missed appointments, and treatments postponed – none of this is good for the NHS or patients.
The pay offer we reached through constructive negotiations was welcomed by the NHS Staff Council – the body that brings together the NHS unions – as a fair and reasonable one.
The majority of union leaders recommended it to their members. And on Friday, members of Unison – the largest NHS union – voted overwhelmingly to accept it.
Under this offer, an Agenda for Change employee at the Band 6 entry point – such as a physiotherapist, paramedic or midwife – will receive over £5,100 across last year and this year, including a £2,000 bonus by the summer.
Unison’s decision demonstrates that it’s a fair and generous proposal. And we now await the results from the remaining unions, who represent hundreds of thousands of hardworking, valued NHS staff.
My message to their members is clear – this is a reasonable offer, recommended by the majority of Agenda for Change unions, which will allow us to get back to focusing on patients.
The prospect of more upheaval and the impact this would have on key services, including emergency and cancer care, is deeply concerning – both for health leaders and patients.
We have made it out of a tough winter, and thanks to the efforts of hardworking NHS staff, there has been significant progress in cutting the backlogs and reducing waits for treatment.
With the support of union members in accepting this pay offer we can continue to improve services and deliver for patients – a priority I know we all share.
