Getting ready for industrial action strike ballots

I nearly choked on my cornflakes this morning. Little after 7am we were treated to a Cabinet minister on Breakfast television telling everybody that nursing staff – and only nursing staff – were treated to a pay rise last year. Anybody remember that one?

While the UK government’s spin ramps up, so has our efforts to get ready for industrial action strike ballots opening in under a month. And I need you to be ready too. It’s so important that you check your details are correct on MyRCN – you will only be sent a ballot paper if we hold the right information for you – where to post the papers, where you work and what job you do. Don’t miss the opportunity to have your say for your profession and your patients - take a couple of minutes and check your details.

NHS members in England, Scotland and Wales will get their papers on 15 September and we will have more news for members in Northern Ireland next week. We will not be able to take industrial strike action if we do not meet the legal thresholds for voter turnout that apply in each country.

Want to help even more? Today we’ve started recruiting our Voting Volunteers to help us reach more of our members in your workplaces to encourage everyone to check their details and to take part in the ballots when they open. Find out more about the role and sign up. 

While our members are passionately campaigning for fair pay awards so desperately needed, we had confirmation yesterday that applicants being accepted onto university nursing courses has fallen by 7% since last year across the UK. Tragically, once again, we are heading in the wrong direction.

These figures should ring alarm bells with ministers - to address the staffing crisis and give the kind of care patients deserve, we need these figures to look stronger. The impact of this drop must not be underestimated - we know it will only add to the growing nursing workforce crisis. Nursing students everywhere should have access to adequate financial support for tuition and the cost of living. Nursing students must be able to prioritise their education without heavy debts and worries.

Ours is a deeply rewarding career – one that opens up a world of possibilities. I shared my personal congratulations to all those who received their A-Level results this week. To all those future nurses, you’ve made a fantastic decision to join this great profession. And be assured, we will keep fighting to make sure you are properly valued in the profession when you qualify.

The reason why we continue to fight for fair pay became even clearer this week with reports that inflation has hit a 40-year high. Not us saying it but the official government body. The continuing cost of living crisis is impacting all nursing staff – with difficult choices becoming a daily occurrence. Whether Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak becomes the next prime minister – it must be their first priority to get to grips with the issues in with economy and delivering an above-inflation pay award to address the nursing workforce crisis.

If they don’t, I know many of you will be forced to question whether you can afford to continue to nurse. And if they want to deliver any of their campaign pledges - like Rishi Sunak’s comment in Belfast this week that the NHS needs to be more efficient – they need to deliver fair pay to ensure services have the staff for safe care. It really is as simple as that.