Frontline NHS staff, including cancer nurses, have started a 28-hour walkout, which is believed to be the biggest nurse strike in history. Thousands of members of the Royal College of Nursing
(RCN) started their strike at 8 pm on Sunday, with the walkout set to end at midnight on Monday.
The RCN’s Pat Cullen granted last-minute guarantees that care would continue for patients in already-stretched hospitals such as Great Ormond Street. However, NHS bosses warned that staffing levels would be “exceptionally low” in some places, lower than on previous strike days. Health Secretary Steve Barclay has called the strike “premature” and “disrespectful”.
Meanwhile, the NHS Staff Council of health unions, employers, and government representatives will discuss the government’s 5% pay offer on Monday. Non-urgent care-seekers have been advised to use pharmacies or dial 111 first, while those with life-threatening emergencies should call 999.