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Nurses from the Royal College of Nursing are set to go on strike tomorrow.
One of those set to take action is Ameera Sheikh, an A&E nurse.
She was asked why the RCN is calling for a pay rise of 19%, and if they would accept an offer of around 7.5%, like Scotland’s nurses have done.
Ms Sheikh told Sky News: “That’s significantly less, but we are asking for 5% above inflation because we have lost a third of our pay since 2010.
“A 7% pay rise is not going to pay our bills with the energy bills that we’re struggling with, with the rent, with the mortgages, with the food on the table, there are nurses that are using foodbanks to even provide food for their children.”
Ms Sheikh was also asked about a letter sent by Dame Cally Palmer, the head of cancer care for NHS England, to the RCN in which said Dame Palmer says she remains “extremely concerned about the absence of national derogation for urgent cancer surgery”, and that such procedures could be cancelled due to the action.
The nurse responded: “Well, maybe she’s not aware that every single day that there are critical incidents being declared where not only elective surgeries are being cancelled, but there are massive delays even on priority surgeries.
“Now, there are a lot of patients suffering with these delays.
“Having a strike day is no different to where these critical incidents are being declared.”
She added: “And what we’re thinking of is the future for the long term for our parents, for our nieces, nephews, for our children, and for our siblings, for our friends.
“And if we don’t try and encourage nurses to join the profession, to join university, to come back even to the profession for those who have left, then we’re really going to struggle in the long term.”
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