NURSING staff in west and north Wales have agreed to go on strike, the Royal College of Nursing has confirmed today.

Nursing staff in all but one of the Welsh NHS boards voted in favour to take strike action over pay levels and patient safety concerns.

No specific date has yet been set for strike action, but the RCN says the first period of industrial action can be expected in December.

Staff in the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which covers Gwent, will not go out on strike however as their ballot failed to reach a 50 per cent turnout threshold.

Nursing staff in Hywel Dda, Betsi Cadwaldr and Powys voted in favour of strike action and reached the 50 per cent threshold.

This was the first statutory ballot on industrial action across the UK in the 106-year history of the Royal College of Nursing.  

RCN Wales remains in a pay dispute with Welsh Government since October 2021 over its three per cent pay award for NHS Wales nursing staff.

Helen Whyley, Director, RCN Wales, said: “Today is a historic day for the nursing profession, our patients, and the future of nursing but ultimately one born of desperation. The decision to strike, has in not been taken lightly, and has passed to demand change where no other solution has been possible”.

“Our members have spoken on what is an incredibly difficult decision both professionally and personally. The result of this ballot shows just how much nursing staff put the safety of their patients above all else. 

“Over the last few weeks of our campaign I have been overwhelmed by the support our members and the public have shown. 

“I have visited hospitals and workplaces throughout Wales. I have heard first hand of nurses who are struggling to pay their household bills, of the extra hours they have worked for free to subsidise the NHS, the shifts they have gone without any breaks. They have told me of their constant worry and despair for the safety of their patients due to short staffing. 

“There is currently no escape for staff, worry and guilt for their patients at work, worry and guilt for their families at home. This is not sustainable. Many have told me that they cannot continue in their beloved profession without change.

“The message is loud and clear. Enough is enough. It is time to take decisive action against a spiralling workforce crisis that is putting patients’ lives in danger and has no regard for nursing staff wellbeing.”

Richard Jones, RCN Wales Board Chair, added: “I want to say a huge thank you to each and every member who not only voted in this ballot, but who championed our campaign to ensure as many members voted as possible. 

“Every nurse wants to deliver the highest quality patient care in a lifelong career whilst being able to support themselves and their families.  

“Our members’ decisions are paramount in everything we do, so now we will deliver. We will do everything in our power in the next steps for the fight for fair pay and safe staffing levels which nursing staff so desperately deserve.”

The RCN says fair pay is essential to retain existing and recruit new nursing staff in the safety critical roles they do. It is calling for a pay rise of 5% above inflation (measured by RPI) to start making up for a decade of real-terms pay cuts.

There are currently 3000 vacancies in Wales up from 1719 in 2021. Every week nurses give the NHS in Wales an additional 67,780 hours a week. This is the equivalent of 1,807 nurses. In 2021/22, NHS Wales spent £133.4 million on agency nursing, an increase of 41% on the previous year. This would pay for the salaries of 4,930 newly qualified nurses.

The Royal College of Nursing Wales, in a letter, told the Health Minister Eluned Morgan MS, that RCN Wales is ready and waiting to open discussions as soon as the Welsh Government wants to make a genuine commitment to improve the current NHS Wales pay award. 

The union added that strike action will be carried out legally and safely at all times, and that it will announce detailed plans and timelines for strike action soon.