News

RCN slams ‘unacceptable’ legal threats as nurses set to strike

The union has called for employers to withdraw threats after patient safety concerns prompt an extension of services that will be shielded from strike walkouts

The union has called for employers to withdraw threats after patient safety concerns prompt an extension of services that will be shielded from strike walkouts

Photo of a crowd of nurses marching with banners saying Fair Pay Now
Picture: David Gee

Nurses have been threatened with criminal prosecution ahead of tomorrow’s strike, the RCN has claimed, as it confirms more services will be shielded from walkouts.

Strike is lawful, says RCN in leaked letter to chief nursing officers

In a letter to the chief nursing officers (CNOs) of all four countries, leaked to the Health Service Journal, the college said legal threats to nursing staff were ‘completely unacceptable’ and reiterated that tomorrow’s strike action is lawful.

‘We have agreed derogations with the principle of patient safety in mind, we have also agreed that our members will provide critical and emergency care during the days of actions,’ the RCN wrote.

‘Therefore, we would be grateful if you could instruct your employers to withdraw any existing threats and desist from making any further threats of this nature.’

It comes after the UK’s four CNOs Ruth May (England), Alex McMahon (Scotland), Sue Tranka (Wales) and Maria McIlgorm (Northern Ireland) urged the union to alleviate nurse leaders’ ‘growing concerns’ around patient safety.

These included the ‘assumption, implied by the RCN, that night duty staffing on day duty is safe’ and claims that some local RCN strike action committees were flouting national union guidance around cancer care by asking for proof of exemption – despite cancer services being excluded from strike action.

Chief nurses seek assurance on exempted services

In a letter dated 12 December, leaked to The Times, they wrote: ‘There are examples of some trusts being asked to submit derogation forms for chemotherapy and organisations now preparing to reschedule chemotherapy from 15 and 20 December due to local representatives requesting derogation proformas.’

They also raised concerns about staffing levels in community nursing and mental health nursing, adding ‘our collective view is that there should be parity of esteem between mental and physical health services and recognition of the potential safety consequences of having insufficient nursing staff’.

The CNOs called on the RCN to reconsider national derogation in these areas to ensure there were enough nursing staff to support these services on strike days.

Services that will be exempt or shielded from strike action

The RCN has confirmed that the following areas will be exempt from strike action:

  • Emergency cancer services
  • Specific mental health, learning disability and autism services across children and adolescent mental health services, and older adults as part of an emergency crisis response
  • Stand-alone paediatric emergency departments

Areas that will have limited staffing:

  • Community services and ‘front-door’ urgent care assessment, such as adult emergency departments, will have ‘Christmas Day’ staffing levels
  • Inpatient areas – night duty staffing levels

Patient safety is ‘everyone’s top concern,’ says RCN

An RCN spokesperson said the college was working closely with nurse leaders to make the strike ‘safe and effective’.

‘We met senior clinicians on 13 December and agreed key points. The safety of patients is everyone’s top concern,’ they said.

‘As part of our commitment to safety and patient care, we have already agreed that emergency cancer surgery will go ahead. Where there is another clinically urgent case that will, of course, happen too.’


In other news

Jobs