Striking nurses take to picket line in Lancaster in fight for fair pay and better patient safety

For the first time in history, tens of thousands of RCN (Royal College of Nursing) members took part in strikes last month and again this week to demand fair pay and improved patient safety.

Among them are nurses at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, who say they are taking action now in a bid to help save the NHS for future generations.

Jan Christian, RCN branch chair Lancs West, said they were hoping to raise awareness of the plight of nursing.

She said it’s hard for hospitals to retain nursing staff due to their salaries and the workload expected of them.

“Most nurses will say it's not about the money, but they feel they have been taken advantage of over the last few years with pay rises less than the cost of inflation,” she said.

“It's very difficult to keep people in nursing when they are not earning a decent salary.

"If you want to attract the right people you have to pay them appropriately, otherwise they will go elsewhere."

Jan said throughout the day, checks are regularly made around the RLI wards to ensure sufficient nurses are in place.

If it's felt there is a shortage anywhere, nurses are called in from the picket line.

"We feel very much that the public is on our side,” she said. “They know we have not left patients unsafe.

The picket line outside the Royal Lancaster Infirmary this morning was constantly greeted by beeping horns from passing motorists, as well as members of the public approaching to give thanks and praise, along with sweet treats to keep spirits up in the cold weather.

Kirkby Lonsdale resident Cathy MacKenzie, who was at the RLI for cancer treatment, praised the work of the nurses and thanked those on the picket line for their efforts.

"I wasn't worried about having treatment [on a strike day] because I knew it would be OK," she said.

"Nothing has disrupted my treatment.

"They really deserve better pay. The NHS is so precious and I have to think the public value it but the government is not listening."

Shane Byrne, a Grade 5 nurse on the acute surgical unit, said he was grateful to have already completed his training.

"For me it's partly to do with the next generation of nurses,” he said.

"They are up to £50,000 in debt before they have even started.

"If I hadn't already done my degree I wouldn't be going into nursing now.

"What we want isn't a pay rise, it's a pay correction, in correlation with the cost of living."

Debbie McCann, a staff nurse in opthalmology, said she would no longer recommend nursing as a potential career to anyone.

"People questioning how much nurses should be paid should look at the skills they are expected to have,” she said.

"Things that were traditionally the task of a doctor are now expected of nurses.

"I would not recommend to young people to go into nursing nowadays. The stress is just not matched with a fair salary.

"Yes, it's rewarding, but it's extremely stressful and if you can't expect a fair standard of living why would you recommend it?"