Nurses pause strike action as Government agrees to talks over pay

NURSING strikes were paused today as ministers and union bosses finally agreed to pay talks.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) — which had planned strikes for 48 hours from March 1 — will enter negotiations with Health Secretary Steve Barclay tomorrow.

The union said the talks will focus on pay, with both sides “committed to finding a fair and reasonable settlement”.

It comes after hospital bosses warned worsening strikes would threaten to derail No10’s plans to clear the backlog.

A joint statement said: “The Government and Royal College of Nursing have agreed to enter a process of intensive talks. 

“Both sides are committed to finding a fair and reasonable settlement. 

“The Royal College of Nursing will pause strike action during these talks.”

The Department of Health confirmed the talks will focus on pay, “terms and conditions, and productivity enhancing reforms”.

The stalemate broke for the first time since the union's original walkout in December, giving hope of an end to the NHS chaos.

The next nursing strike had been planned for next Wednesday, lasting into Friday morning.

The RCN originally demanded a rise equal to 19 per cent but have indicated they will settle for less.

Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive at NHS Providers, said the health service is “breathing a sigh of relief the imminent nurses strikes are now on hold”.

He said: “Both sides being committed to finding a fair and reasonable settlement is the glimmer of hope we all needed.

“Hopefully, it can pave the way for similar negotiations with other unions planning strikes.”

Tens of thousands more appointments and operations faced being postponed in March, with around 150,000 hit by strikes already.

Junior doctors on Monday announced they would also be taking action for three days next month.

Ambulance workers, who walked out on Monday, will strike again on March 6 and March 20.

Before the RCN’s announcement, Nick Hulme, chief of East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Trust, said strikes will have a “significant impact on already worryingly high waiting times”.

He told LBC radio: "This is a significant shift in the industrial action now involving doctors, nurses and paramedics.

"So it will mean that we will be in a position of cancelling an awful lot of our elective care."

Mr Hulme said medics will be sent to the highest risk parts of hospitals on strike days, with A&E and intensive care top priorities.

He said: “That will mean that we won't be able to provide most of our outpatients and our planned or elective operations.”

There are 7.2million people on NHS waiting lists in England and many face waiting months for treatment.

Junior doctors are demanding a 26 per cent pay rise, which Health Minister Maria Caulfield has slammed as “unrealistic”, adding strikes will “put patients at risk”.

Dr Adrian Boyle, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, admitted the strikes may “disrupt emergency care and pose a risk for patient safety”.