Press Releases
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02/12/2022
Press Release
Royal College of Nursing sets out protected areas during strikes
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said “Every nurse feels a heavy weight of responsibility to make this strike safe. Patients are already at great risk and we will not add to it. This list of exemptions shows how seriously we take our commitment and it should put patients’ minds at ease."
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01/12/2022
Press Release
Royal College of Nursing responds to the latest NHS England vacancy statistics and urgent and emergency care daily situation report
RCN Director for England, Patricia Marquis, said: “With more than 13,000 patients a day stuck in hospitals because the community and social care they need to be safely discharged is unavailable, it’s easy to see why health and care is at breaking point."
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29/11/2022
Press Release
Royal College of Nursing responds to UK Statistics Authority letter on nurse pay confirming that government had been "misleading" and "exaggerated"
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said: “This is a damning letter that warrants an official response from Steve Barclay without delay. Sir Robert Chote has used the strongest terms here to cut through the government’s spin. Ministers have been found out and need to come clean."
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29/11/2022
Press Release
RCN confirms the locations of December strikes across the UK
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Pat Cullen said: “Ministers have declined my offer of formal pay negotiations and instead chosen strike action. It has left us with no choice but to announce where our members will be going on strike in December."
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27/11/2022
Press Release
Royal College of Nursing responds to Transport Secretary's comments that public sector pay rises in line with inflation are “unaffordable”
Responding to comments from Transport Secretary Mark Harper that public sector pay rises in line with inflation are “unaffordable”, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said: “While billions of pounds is being spent on temporary measures like agency staff to stick a plaster on the NHS workforce crisis, we are told a pay rise for nursing staff is unaffordable."
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26/11/2022
Press Release
‘Negotiations or nothing’, nursing union tells government over strike
In a fresh exchange of letters on Saturday afternoon between the RCN’s General Secretary and Chief Executive Pat Cullen and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Steve Barclay MP, the union leader has reiterated the call for negotiations to settle the dispute over NHS pay and patient safety.
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25/11/2022
Press Release
First strike dates announced by Royal College of Nursing after UK government declines NHS pay negotiations
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said: "Ministers have had more than two weeks since we confirmed that our members felt such injustice that they would strike for the first time. My offer of formal negotiations was declined and instead ministers have chosen strike action. They have the power and the means to stop this by opening serious talks that address our dispute".
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24/11/2022
Press Release
Royal College of Nursing responds to the latest NHS England urgent and emergency care daily situation reports
Responding to the latest NHS England urgent and emergency care daily situation reports, RCN Director for England, Patricia Marquis, said: “These figures highlight the severe strain the health secretary himself recently admitted that the healthcare system is under. It doesn’t bode well when adult bed occupancy in hospitals is already at 95%, well above the recommended safe level."
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23/11/2022
Press Release
Nursing confirmed as ‘most trusted profession’ as strike risk grows
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said: “This huge vote of confidence from the public will boost the morale of nursing staff as we head for strikes in December. The profession at the bottom of the list should be careful how it speaks to and about the one at the top."
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20/11/2022
Press Release
Royal College of Nursing responds to health secretary’s comments on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
Responding to health secretary Steve Barclay’s comments on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Pat Cullen said: “The health secretary’s lack of intention and inability to see the urgency of this situation will trouble every nurse.”
Page last updated - 22/03/2024
