It’s time to talk

This week you came out strong once again for your patients and your profession, and yet again, I was humbled and overwhelmed by your determination to do the right thing by remaining firm in our fight for fair pay and patient safety. 

I began my tour in England’s North East on the morning of Tuesday 20 December, where I met with nursing staff on pre-dawn picket lines in Newcastle. Then it was on to Gateshead and Cramlington and across to Leeds and Bradford. From Yorkshire, I travelled across the Pennines to Merseyside where I spent time with members in Liverpool. 

Your warm welcome and wise words gave me strength as I continued to represent our profession in media interviews and when meeting members of the public. Your visible presence across picket lines in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is a clear reminder yet again that decisions made in the Westminster bubble impact tens of thousands of real people, doing real jobs and living real lives under a cloud of rocketing bills, unaffordable housing and sky-high grocery prices. 

I will do everything in my power to bring you the fair remuneration that reflects your role, recognises your skills and education and rights the wrongs of years of low pay. If I don't hear from Steve Barclay by the end of today, I will announce strike dates for January tomorrow. Check your email inbox and our social channels for an announcement. 

Once again you’ve been supported on picket lines by patients past and present who understand the ongoing pressures you’re under and the reasons behind our action. I hope their words of solidarity and their generous gifts of food and warm drinks give you a boost during the long, cold strike days.

You have carried yourselves with the dignity and professionalism the public has come to respect from our trusted nursing profession, and even some of the usual media suspects who seek to denigrate nursing are splashing support for us across their front pages. 

The public is clear – as am I – that the way to avoid further strike action is for the government to stop prevaricating and repeating the same tired lines and step up to holding meaningful negotiations with me. 

Just yesterday we announced that our members in Scotland have overwhelmingly rejected the latest revised pay offer from the Scottish government - 82% of those who voted rejected the offer. We will now continue planning for strike action in Scotland and early in the New Year we will announce dates. 

Make no mistake – our members in Scotland, like those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, do not want to go on strike. But years of being undervalued and understaffed have left them feeling they have no alternative but to take historic strike action. The ball is in Scottish government’s court if strike action is going to be avoided. 

Members can be reassured that planning for strike action will be thorough. We have worked hard to prepare for the two days of action we have just seen in the rest of the UK to ensure the safety of patients and of our members remains paramount. While any strike action should disruptive, we will make sure it does not put patients or our members at risk. 

Earlier this week I was delighted to share a message with those of you who attended our annual carol service; although I couldn’t be there in person, I was with you in spirit to celebrate the festive season. Many thanks to everyone who took part, and to my colleague Dr Denise Chaffer for once again leading the event. You can watch a recording of the service here.

This will be my final update of 2022 and I’d like to take a moment to reflect on some of my personal highlights from the year gone by. We have so much to celebrate as a profession, and I always enjoy the way we shine our light on one another during Nurses’ Day and Nursing Support Workers’ Day. Everyone one of you has a pivotal part to play in your team or department and your experience, insight and expertise make nursing what it is today; I implore you to remember that. 

Congress in Glasgow this year was a chance to set the agenda for us as an organisation and much of what you see playing out on the picket lines right now grew from the decisions made during that week. I do hope you’ll join us in Brighton for Congress 2023 when I’m certain there will be more lively debate, quiet reflection and many moments to consider just how far we’ve travelled. 

I know many of you will be working over the festive period, and that does not go unnoticed. It’s my hope that you can find some time to rest and recuperate in the embrace of your family and friends. 

It never feels enough, but thank you for everything you do, day in and day out to keep patients safe, deliver care, hold up your teams and your colleagues and uphold the reputation of our cherished profession.