Nurses set to continue strike action in January

Nurses are preparing to take strike action once again unless a deal can be struck to meet pay parity and staffing demands.

The Royal College of Nursing says its members will strike on 8 and 10 January unless a satisfactory offer is made by health chiefs and politicians.

Nurses went on strike for the first time ever in Northern Ireland one week ago. More than 15,000 nurses took action on picket lines.

All five leaders from the main Northern Ireland parties wrote to Secretary of State Julian Smith asking him to intervene in the crisis and separate the decision from the most recent talks process.

Mr Smith said it was a devolved matter for local politicians to resolve.

Director of the RCN, Pat Cullen said the union has written to the Secretary of State stating it was 'extremely disappointed' that no resolution could be found last week.

"Nurses in Northern Ireland are angry that no-one appears to be taking seriously the crisis in our health service," she said.

"By now, no-one in Northern Ireland, or indeed the rest of the UK, can be in any doubt about the inequalities in health care that people in Northern Ireland are facing.

"Yet, here we are, a day before Christmas, with the prospect of nursing staff taking strike action again in early January."

She added that nurses 'deeply resent' any link made between the restoration of devolution and the health crisis.

"Sorting out this crisis is a priority regardless of our political situation, which has been in disarray for the past three years," she said.

"We do not have another three years to wait.

“We wonder how much longer this inaction can continue before somebody, somewhere, can take a decision to rectify the problems we are facing?”