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Britain faces its largest ever strike by health workers on Monday as tens of thousands of nurses and ambulance workers walk out in an escalating pay dispute which the health minister said would place further strain on the National Health Service (NHS).
Nurses and ambulance workers have been striking separately on and off since late last year but Monday’s walkout involving both, largely in England, will represent the biggest in the 75-year history of the NHS.
England’s top doctor, Stephen Powis, said strike action this week, which will also see physiotherapists walk out on Thursday, would most probably be the most disruptive so far.
Health workers are demanding a pay rise that reflects the worst inflation in Britain in four decades, while the government says that would be unaffordable and cause more price rises, and in turn, make interest rates and mortgage payments go up.
Around 500,000 workers, many from the public sector, have been staging strikes since last summer, adding to pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to resolve the disputes and limit disruption to public services such as railways and schools.
Health minister Steve Barclay urged people to continue to access emergency services and attend appointments unless they had been cancelled but underlined there would be disruption.
“Despite contingency measures in place, strikes by ambulance and nursing unions this week will inevitably cause further delays for patients who already face longer waits due to the COVID backlogs,” he said in a statement.
“I have held constructive talks with the trade unions on pay and affordability and continue to urge them to call off the strikes.”
Sharon Graham, leader of the Unite union, told the BBC on Sunday she wanted Sunak to come to the negotiating table. “This government is putting lives at risk,” she said.
Nurses leave
The NHS,…
