Mass nurses strike TODAY as cancer staff walk out for first time - FULL LIST of hospitals

A mass nurses' strike is due to continue from 8 p.m. tonight and cancer nurses are due out for the first time.

Some A&E nurses and intensive care staff could also go on strike for the first time as full waivers – where staff are guaranteed during strikes – will not be in place for these services as they have been during the strikes. previous strikes.

The General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), Pat Cullen, confirmed today that at least exemptions are in place for emergency and intensive care to provide critical care.

But the union says the NHS will see 'more intense' strike action with staff marching en masse across England tonight and all day tomorrow.

When asked if lives would be put at risk because of the strikes, Ms Cullen replied, "Well, you've heard me say time and time again: Why do nurses go on strike? ?

"They are going on strike because patients' lives are being put in danger every day and why - because we have tens of thousands of vacant nursing positions."

RCN General Secretary Pat Cullen confirmed this morning that there will be "national exemptions" (

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Steve Taylor/SOPA Images/REX/Shutterstock)

In a message to NHS bosses, she added: 'None of these people I believe have walked in the place of our nursing staff.

“I would also say to them that it is interesting that they have come today to talk about the risk posed by our nurses going on strike, for the very reason that I mentioned, because of the crisis within the health service.

"And I would ask them, for those other 364 days of the year - to speak on behalf of their nursing staff, to say what risk they carry every day."

However, Ms Cullen confirmed: "There are national exemptions for a range of services, for emergency departments, for intensive care units, for neonatal units, pediatric intensive care units - these services really acute emergencies, we have national exemptions in place.

“During any period of the strike we will continue to have an Incident Room within the Royal College of Nursing headed by a very experienced Chief Nursing Officer who will ensure that any exemptions requested during this period are carefully considered and on the clinical basis they deserve."

An RCN spokesperson later clarified, "Whole services are not derogatory like previous strikes, but national agreement has been reached on increased staffing in certain key areas to preserve life and physical integrity.

“The NCR and the NHS are however clear that these are not the usual numbers either. This strike will be more intense than before, but the duty to protect life remains.”

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