NHS staff set to get fast-tracked pay rise next year after 48 hours of strikes by nurses and ambulance workers

22 December 2022, 08:42 | Updated: 22 December 2022, 08:44

The government could fast-track a pay rise for NHS staff next year, after 48 hours of strikes that threatened to cripple the health service, and threats of more action to come.

Thousands of nurses walked out on Tuesday, while ambulance workers staged their first industrial action for 30 years on Wednesday, with both disputes centred on wages.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay could be poised to offer NHS staff an expedited pay rise, with the minister pushing to "speed up the process", the Telegraph reported.

NHS workers are normally given a backdated wage boost in August, even though the independent body that sets their pay makes a decision in April.

"Steve is very keen for this to go ahead at pace and not be dragged out as it has been in the past," a source close to Mr Barclay told the paper.

The actual pay rise that NHS workers would get remains unclear. Unions have said that they are expecting their members to be offered a 2% increase, well below the demands that striking workers have made amid rampant inflation, and have warned of the possibility of more strikes ahead.

It comes after unions and ministers remained in stalemate over pay negotiations on Wednesday night. Mr Barclay has repeatedly refused to discuss pay with unions, saying wages are a matter for the independent review.

And he blasted the unions amid the strikes, claiming they had "made a conscious choice to inflict harm on patients."

But speaking from the ambulance workers' picket line in Coventry, Unite chief Sharon Graham said: “The government has had months to intervene.

"They chose not to. They have abdicated all responsibility.

"They’re ­effectively saying this has got nothing to do with us. And the strikers are wrong.

“It makes it a total mockery of what NHS workers have done to protect the country over Covid, the time spent clapping for our workers."

Caller cries explaining how the ambulance strikes impacted her sister who collapsed today

Meanwhile NHS Providers warned the strikes will have a knock-on effect on appointments and said it expected a return to "very high numbers" of emergency calls in coming days.

The number of people phoning 999 appeared to have dropped in some parts of England on Wednesday and the membership organisation for NHS hospital, mental health, community and ambulance services said there had been "varying levels of disruption" across the country.

NHS Providers also said some demand had shifted to other services or not materialised as expected.

But the organisation added that demand for care across the whole healthcare system remained high and trust leaders were reporting ongoing delays to ambulance services and overcrowding at some accident and emergency departments.

Public urged to use ‘common sense’ as ambulance workers strike

At least 11,509 staff were absent from work across England during strikes by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) on Tuesday, and 13,797 appointments and procedures had to be rescheduled, according to NHS England.

Thousands of ambulance workers took industrial action on Wednesday, with members of the military stepping in to take their place and trusts telling patients only to call 999 in the case of a life-threatening emergency. The next ambulance strike is due to take place on December 28.

Workers across several other industries are also set to walk out in the approach to Christmas.

Strikes are being held on Thursday by Unite members working for Highlands and Islands Airports, National Highways workers in London and the South East, and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in the North West, Yorkshire and Humber and North Wales.

Unison workers at the Environment Agency will refuse to provide on-call cover for unexpected incidents, and Rural Payments Agency staff will continue their walkout.

Read more: Top union official 'skipped talks on eve of ambulance strike' to jet off on holiday

Read more: Furious Nick Ferrari accuses Health Secretary of 'day of shame' over ambulance strikes

On Friday, the National Highways and DVSA strikes are due to continue, while Royal Mail workers will begin a two-day national stoppage.

Christmas Eve will bring strikes from RMT railway workers from 6pm, and London bus workers at Abellio.