Press Releases
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20/12/2022
Press Release
Royal College of Nursing General Secretary comments ahead of second day of nursing strikes
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said: “The Prime Minister should ask himself what is motivating nursing staff to stand outside their hospitals for a second day so close to Christmas. They are prepared to sacrifice a day’s pay to have their concerns heard. Their determination stems as much from worries over patient safety and the future of the NHS than personal hardship."
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15/12/2022
Press Release
End-of-day statement
In an end-of-day statement, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Pat Cullen, said: “Today will be a turning point in the campaign for fair nursing pay. At the end of it, ministers find themselves under fresh pressure from unexpected places - their own MPs, NHS leaders and a former chair of the Pay Review Body."
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14/12/2022
Press Release
Statement from General Secretary ahead of first strike day
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said: “Nurses are not relishing this, we are acting with a very heavy heart. It has been a difficult decision taken by hundreds of thousands who begin to remove their labour from tomorrow in a bid to be heard, recognised and valued"
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13/12/2022
Press Release
Gulf between private and public sector pay 'compelling evidence' why government needs to negotiate, RCN says
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Pat Cullen, said: “This is yet more compelling evidence of why ministers are wrong to turn their backs on nursing. “With public sector salaries lagging so far behind those in the private sector it’s unsurprising that nurses can’t make ends meet. And that’s on top of a decade of real-terms pay cuts."
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12/12/2022
Press Release
Royal College of Nursing responds to meeting with the Health Secretary
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said: “Ministers had too little to say and I had to speak at length about the unprecedented strength of feeling in the profession. I expressed my deep disappointment at the belligerence – they have closed their books and walked away.”
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08/12/2022
Press Release
Royal College of Nursing responds to NHS England Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times
RCN Director for England, Patricia Marquis, said: “The whole of the health and care system is under huge strain, with a record estimated 7.2 million people stuck on waiting lists in England and thousands waiting more than 12 hours to be admitted to a hospital bed or discharged because of a lack of community or social care."
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08/12/2022
Press Release
Royal College of Nursing demands action from the Health Secretary as it says “UK is sick man of Europe again”
The Royal College of Nursing has called on the Health Secretary to open negotiations on NHS pay as new research shows the UK is the “sick man of Europe” again when it comes to nursing pay.
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08/12/2022
Press Release
Number of nurses entering education falling, UCAS shows
Responding to UCAS figures showing that the number of nurses entering education is falling in the UK, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said: “It is deeply troubling to see things heading in the wrong direction. People are put off nursing by the poor and unfair treatment this fantastic profession gets, often at the hands of politicians."
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07/12/2022
Press Release
Royal College of Nursing responds to the Prime Minister's comments during PMQs
Responding to the Prime Minister's comments today, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said: "The government should negotiate with nurses and stop these cheap and divisive political games. For the first time in their working lives my members are saying enough is enough."
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06/12/2022
Press Release
Sheila Sobrany elected as new Royal College of Nursing President for 2023
RCN President-elect Sheila Sobrany said: “I am humbled by the support I have received and deeply honoured to take on the role of President at a critical time for nurses, nursing and our Royal College."
Page last updated - 22/03/2024
