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Original poster

Nhs strike

106 replies

HuffleWoof · 12/08/2022 10:04

I'm not a nurse I'm an ODP so the RCN industrial action won't apply to me but if unison ballot for strike action I think for the first time in my career I will be striking.

Anyone else?

I support my colleagues in their strike too. It will cause chaos in theatres.

It feels crazy to even think about Striking but enough is enough

I couldn't believe the rcn is actually doing something positive though! They're usually so slow

OP posts:
Namenic · 26/08/2022 01:31

strike (which in a healthcare context does not mean stopping all activity). Agree with @reesewithoutaspoon . Stop pfi. Implement safe staffing levels.

Motorina · 26/08/2022 05:56

The only reason I’m not striking is I’m working my notice. 30 years nhs service and I’m out. Worked all through covid, with covid patients and inadequate ppe. Funding cuts mean I’m constantly apologising to patients let down. The real terms pay cut isn’t the reason, but it is the final straw.

I’m literally the only one in my county who has the qualifications to do what I do. They won’t be able to recruit a replacement. So that’ll be a valuable nhs service gone.

TabithaTittlemouse · 26/08/2022 06:09

The patients are already being affected. They are already being put at risk due to unsafe staffing levels. Appointments are being cancelled because we don’t have the staff.
We are being run with agency nurses because people are fed up with rubbish pay and conditions. It is unsafe.

No matter how much I love my job we need to pay our bills too.

I will be striking.

Topgub · 26/08/2022 06:16

Its funny how how on threads about higher earners its all oh, they deserve it! They worked really hard to get where they are. They work really hard in stressful jobs. They definitely deserve the high wage. And if we don't pay them market rate they will just leave and we cant have that.

Yet some how none of that applies to the nhs were people definitely work harder and have more stress than your average city type. Where brain drain is actually happening right now and is having terrible impacts on the service

Folk are quick to complain when they can't get exactly what they want, as soon as they want it from the nhs but they're not that keen to have to pay for it eh?

UseOfWeapons · 26/08/2022 06:30

I received my RCN notification of ballot yesterday. It’s the first time that I’ve seen the RCN urge nurses to strike.
The ballot will take place next month. I’ve never striked before. I would consider it it now, as with my education, experience and banding, I am massively underpaid, as a result of the lack of proper pay rise in the past decade or so.
I know what I do for my patients, and give 100% every day, working overtime for nothing, not getting time back…and I’m one of millions who do this. For once, I’d like to think that people were supporting us. Hyperbole doesn’t help.
I’ll be devastated to do this. But I feel it’s the right thing to do to protect care and staffing in the NHS.

olympicsrock · 26/08/2022 06:44

Doctor
i support Industrial action for NHS workers . It’s the only way the country will listen. We have all had enough of being treated so badly.
Yes I think patients will suffer in the short term but in the long term things will be better/ safer.

At the moment locum shifts are frequently left un filled as the pay is not enough to persuade tired people to be overworked further. And these gaps leave a dangerous thin skeleton cover. what happens is that everyone acts down and the consultant has to do the work of a registrar as well as their own work.

I will support my RCN colleagues

KangarooKenny · 26/08/2022 06:55

With strikes in the past, basic levels of care have been maintained. So emergency surgery carries on, and A&E is open but on basic levels of staffing.

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 26/08/2022 07:45

I'd like to see a General Strike. The only way things will change for the better is if we force them to and removing our labour is the biggest source of power we have.

But yes, I'd definitely support an NHS strike. They've been comprehensively shat on for decades now.

38daystogo · 26/08/2022 07:48

CoffeeWithCheese · 12/08/2022 10:24

I won't - I moved from teaching to healthcare - and strikes have never really done anything in education other than piss everyone off. I don't think they work these days - plus my current service users have been really really impacted by the last few years and losing their services or them going to a crap online version - I'm not going to make things worse for them.

Ahhh but at the minute something is being done well nothing finalised as of yet but the NHS have made the Band 2s an active band 3 until a decision has been made about what is allowed to be performed by a band 2 job role.

I think it's the cost of living that has spiralled all these recent strikes too. So some notice has definitely been taken within the NHS.

olympicsrock · 26/08/2022 07:56

The difficulty will be the ward nurses in hospitals. People can’t not be looked after…_
not sure how it will work

bozzabollix · 26/08/2022 07:57

Consultants wife here. When the junior doctors went on strike the consultants stepped up to ensure patient safety, so anyone using that argument needs to know that the same will happen again - NHS staff have solidarity and they are all absolutely fed up.

Good luck to the nurses going out on strike. Personally I think we need a general strike across all sectors.

fannyfan · 26/08/2022 08:05

@olympicsrock it won't be a walk out. It'll be start work at 8 not 7.30 (unpaid 30 mins) take allocated breaks, leave at 7.30 (not 8 unpaid 30 mins or however long it takes to actually document) make space for documentation and say 'I'm not approachable right now for 45 mins I'm charting'

At least that's what I think will happen

MoodyTwo · 26/08/2022 08:19

I support anyone striking

SomePosters · 26/08/2022 08:27

To all the health care professionals here I want you to know that I’m raising a little girl who needs you to do this

I’ve spent enough time on wards to really see the heroic work hcps do. How they stretch themselves ever thinner and thinner trying to not let anyone down. Anyone who thinks they get to hold ‘but you’re endangering your patients by striking’ has no idea where we have reached in terms of safe staffing levels. You’re endangering your patients when you keep trying to fill the gaps yourself.

there should be a general strike to support the nurses strike.

We need them and we should all support them

newbiename · 26/08/2022 08:27

Can't strike , can't afford to. RCN are toothless.

justfiveminutes · 26/08/2022 08:31

I support anyone who is forced to strike in order to preserve the integrity of their pay and conditions.

PP talking about the impact of a strike - that is the point, to bring people to the negotiating table.

Why does the worker have all the responsibility to consider impact on the patient, if those with the power to do what is needed to avoid strike action,decide against doing it?

I wish people would realise that it is short-sighted to avoid strike action through concern for those impacted - in the long term, without strike action, the impact will be even greater as experienced staff leave, recruitment falters and standards drop.

Nurses achieved something like a 30% pay increase in the 70s through strike action, and a new pay structure. It works if enough people want it to work and participate and support it, and the concerns are genuine and justified.

TammyOne · 26/08/2022 08:50

I support a strike. The NHS is in a scary place and has been for years. Hospitals are just fucking dangerous. The more attention the media bring to the NHS crisis the better, and a strike will help do that.

Trainbear · 26/08/2022 08:54

GPs who were bus members went on strike around 2014? On two at least days my gps only saw real emergencies. It’s been done before.

WhackingPhoenix · 26/08/2022 12:23

Iceballoons · 26/08/2022 00:14

Times are getting tough for everybody in the country right now so no, I absolutely do not support your strike action.

Nothing much will change, all that will happen is more people will die or be left languishing in pain. People with families to support who might be on even worse pay conditions than you are.

Tell me you don’t have a clue without telling me...

Gooseysgirl · 26/08/2022 12:25

I am semi-NHS (student in mental health services) and I would be 100% behind strike action. Things are horrendous at the moment for staff and patients in CAMHS.

fannyfan · 26/08/2022 12:30

I think it's time to take a stand

reesewithoutaspoon · 26/08/2022 14:58

Iceballoons · 26/08/2022 00:14

Times are getting tough for everybody in the country right now so no, I absolutely do not support your strike action.

Nothing much will change, all that will happen is more people will die or be left languishing in pain. People with families to support who might be on even worse pay conditions than you are.

If nothing changes, the NHS will continue to hemorrhage staff. As it is staffing levels are perilous in a lot of places. Safe staffing is one nurse to 5 patients on a general ward, currently, nurses are taking 8 to 15 patients in some areas.

Numerous studies have shown that your chance of suffering significant morbidity or mortality increases with every extra patient a nurse gets above 5.

There is immense pressure on staff to cope in an overloaded and backlogged system, if they felt they were compensated for this they would be more likely to stay, but this government has made it blindingly obvious that they do not value nursing and medical staff. there is now a deficit of 40,000 nurses. Any other industry with a shortage like that would have to pay to attract the staff, not cut their pay year on year.

Your chance of dying is increasing every day as more staff leave and you either won't be able to get the treatment you need or what you get will be substandard.

KimmySchmitt · 26/08/2022 15:16

@SNWannabe I wonder if the staffing issues are as bad in scotland? We have nursing bursaries here but afaik we are facing similar staffing issues here.
I will be a qualified nurse soon, I won’t strike. I couldn’t risk my patients welfare, I would feel too guilty.

Yes they are. We have massive retention issues, we've lost a lot of experienced nurses. Recruitment helps to an extent but you can't replace that experience. If all nurses on a ward are NQ who do you learn from?

Also, give it 10 years (or months) as a staff nurse. You'll see. Patient welfare is already in jeopardy every day, levels of staffing are not safe, working conditions are not safe.

NHS worker here and I support industrial action, for the first time in my career.

SNWannabe · 26/08/2022 22:00

KimmySchmitt · 26/08/2022 15:16

@SNWannabe I wonder if the staffing issues are as bad in scotland? We have nursing bursaries here but afaik we are facing similar staffing issues here.
I will be a qualified nurse soon, I won’t strike. I couldn’t risk my patients welfare, I would feel too guilty.

Yes they are. We have massive retention issues, we've lost a lot of experienced nurses. Recruitment helps to an extent but you can't replace that experience. If all nurses on a ward are NQ who do you learn from?

Also, give it 10 years (or months) as a staff nurse. You'll see. Patient welfare is already in jeopardy every day, levels of staffing are not safe, working conditions are not safe.

NHS worker here and I support industrial action, for the first time in my career.

Two wrongs won't make a right though, and my patients would be safer with me there than me not...our ward is close-knit and I know no one there would strike. But that is not to say things shouldn't change and perhaps in other settings it could still be a high impact...but I fear it would just make everything worse anyway with more delays to treatment and longer waiting times etc...