Nurses at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich Hospital vote to strike in RCN ballot

Nurses at West Suffolk Hospital and Ipswich Hospital are amongst those that have voted to strike in The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) ballot.

The RCN announced yesterday that votes from nursing staff at West Suffolk Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which also covers Newmarket Hospital, met the legal threshold for strike action - which is 50 per cent.

Votes from RCN members at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Ipswich Hospital and Colchester Hospital also met the threshold.

Jane O'Brien, RCN Senior Officer for Suffolk and Norfolk said: "RCN members in Suffolk have made it clear that enough is enough and voted to take strike action over pay and patient concerns.

"We now hope the Government thinks carefully about the strength of feeling among nursing staff that has led to them voting for this action and takes action to address their concerns.

"We have always been clear that patient safety will be at the centre of our planning as we move to strike action."

She added: "We would ask the public to show their support for nursing staff as we take this step to protect safety and staffing levels in the long-term."

André Santos, Suffolk branch chair of the RCN described the vote, which will see both of the trusts in his county striking, as a 'big moment'.

Ahead of the strike ballot the RCN said it was recommending strike action to rectify 'years of real-terms pay cuts' that they believe are pushing people out of the nursing profession and putting patients safety at risk.

On their website the RCN said: "We expect to see a pay award that goes 5 per cent above inflation (the retail prices index)."

The RCN have not confirmed when the strikes will take place, however they now have the mandate to take strike action until May 2023.

West Suffolk Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and ESNEFT have been approached for comment.