Posted 18 April 2023 - 13:46
Posted 18 April 2023 - 13:46
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‘Reckless’ unions are targeting vulnerable patients, say MPs
Conservative MPs criticise unions for dropping exemptions for emergency, intensive care and cancer nurses in strike action planned for May bank holiday
Conservative MPs criticise unions for dropping exemptions for emergency, intensive care and cancer nurses in strike action planned for May bank holiday
Nurses and other healthcare workers are targeting patients at risk of dying with their latest strike plans, a Tory MP has said.
Sir Julian Lewis made the claim as RCN members in England prepare to take to picket lines again at the end of April, after voting down the government’s latest pay offer.
Tory MP ‘dismayed’ at nurses’ plan to drop strike exemptions
The upcoming round of strikes, from 30 April to 2 May, will be without derogations, meaning it will for the first time involve nursing staff working in emergency departments, intensive care units, cancer care and other units previously exempt from industrial action.
Speaking in the House of Commons on 17 April, the New Forest East MP said: ‘Given that the terms “emergency care” and “intensive care” imply that the life of those who need them is at risk, does [health and social care secretary Steve Barclay] share my dismay that people in that predicament are now clearly being targeted by strikers?’
‘Irresponsible’ strikes putting lives at risk, says fellow MP
Adding to the debate, Conservative MP James Daly criticised the RCN and British Medical Association (BMA), which represents junior doctors, who are currently striking. ‘The central issue is that the reckless and irresponsible actions of two trade unions are putting the lives of my constituents and people throughout the country at risk,’ the Bury North MP said.
‘The right to strike can never trump people’s right to receive healthcare and not have their life threatened by the actions of left-wing trade unions.’
Mr Barclay insisted patient safety ‘should come first’ for everyone involved in the dispute and urged the RCN to wait for the NHS Staff Council’s final vote – which will determine if a 5% pay rise for 2023-24 and one-off payment for 2022-23 is implemented – before committing to further strike action.
‘Voting is still ongoing, and it would be premature to announce strike action ahead of that decision,’ he added.
Health and social care secretary ‘refusing talks’ to prevent strikes
His comments came after RCN general secretary Pat Cullen refused to pause strike action planned for the May bank holiday weekend.
Meanwhile, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting labelled Mr Barclay the ‘invisible man’, saying he had been ‘largely absent’ during junior doctors’ strikes last week. He also criticised prime minister Rishi Sunak for an ‘abdication of leadership during a national crisis’ after Mr Sunak previously said he did not want to ‘get in the middle’ of the disputes.
‘Having failed to prevent nurses and ambulance workers from striking, the government are repeating the same mistakes all over again by refusing talks with junior doctors,’ the Labour MP said.
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