Nurses strikes: What are the demands and what is the government offering?

Industrial action is biggest by nurses in NHS history

Nurses are planning to strike again without a breakthrough in pay negotiations.

Another walkout is planned across England, Wales and Northern Ireland on Tuesday in the biggest strike by nurses in the history of the NHS.

It comes after thousands kicked off the strike action with a 12-hour walkout on Thursday.

The Royal College of Nursing leader warned action by nurses would build unless ministers back down on their refusal to negotiate on pay.

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“As time moves on - unfortunately if this government doesn’t speak to us and doesn’t get into a room - I’m afraid that this will escalate,” Pat Cullen told BBC’s Question Time on Thursday night.

Meanwhile next week will be “very challenging” for the health service amid a fresh wave of strikes by both nurses and ambulance workers, interim chief executive of NHS Providers said.

What exactly is the strike about? Let’s break it down:

What have nurses been offered?

Earlier this year, nurses were offered a pay rise working out at around 4 to 5 per cent along with other public sector workers.

Most full-time nurses in the NHS would get a salary increase of around £1,400. New nursing staff, however, would see starting pay rise by 5.5 per cent to £27,055.

The health secretary, Steve Barclay, said the government was sticking to the recommendations of the independent NHS Pay Review Body.

Thousands of nurses are striking (PA)

What do nurses want?

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) described the 4 per cent basic pay increase for most nurses a “grave misstep by ministers” when it was announced in summer.

Its general secretary, Pat Cullen, said at the time: “Living costs are rising and yet they have enforced another real-terms pay cut on nursing staff,” she said. “It will push more nurses and nursing support workers out of the profession.”

Inflation has been soaring over the past year, with the latest figures putting it at 10.7 per cent.

The RCN has been calling for a pay rise at 5 per cent above inflation. However, the union has indicated it would accept a lower offer.

The union has argued that low pay is driving “chronic understaffing” which puts patients at risk and leaves nursing staff overworked, underpaid and undervalued.

In Scotland, RCN members are being consulted on a revised pay offer from the Scottish government.

What about talks?

Last-ditch talks to avoid strikes broke down this week.

Ms Cullen said strikes would go ahead after the health secretary refused to discuss pay. The government said it would continue to engage on non-pay related issues and has said the pay rise demanded by the RCN was unaffordable.

After the first walkout on Thursday, Downing Street has said there are “no plans” to look again at the pay deal for nurses.

What else are nurses saying?

As well as pay, nurses have told The Independent they are striking over working conditions and understaffing. Some said safety has been compromised by shortages.

“The main reason we’re doing this is that we go into our job to look after other people and we’re not doing that very well at the moment because of the lack of staffing, the lack of investment into nursing,” one London nurse said.

Others have told The Independent nurses were struggling to afford essentials and were being forced to leave the profession or work through annual leave.

Additional reporting by Press Association