History was made at Withybush General Hospital this morning as nurses went on strike in what has been described as a ‘tragic first’ for the NHS.

“The apprehension we’re feeling at leaving our wards is immense, but it’s got to the stage where we’ve been left with no choice,” a spokesperson for the Withybush Hospital picket line told the ‘Western Telegraph’.

Ministers have refused to reopen pay talks after announcing that the Royal College of Nursing’s 19 per cent pay rise demand was unaffordable.

The government has already accepted recommendations made by the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) to give below-inflation pay rises of around 4 per cent which means the nurses will see a pay rise of around £1,400.

But Withybush nurses are finding themselves under increasing pressure, as the hospital is currently operating at surge capacity despite a substantially depleted workforce number.

“There are supposed to be 16 patients in my ward but there are currently 26 while in another ward there should be 17 but the number has risen to 20.

"Beds are having to be put up in rooms that are not specified for this purpose and sadly this has nothing to do with the winter pressures. This is the situation we're facing all year round.”

The Withybush nurses began their strike at 7am this morning (Thursday) in temperatures of -4.5 degrees.  They will remain on the picket line until 7pm this evening.

Holding banners stating ‘Today’s shortages cost lives’ and ‘It’s time to pay nursing staff fairly’, the support they received from the passing motorists was strong.

“Yes, the public are supporting us but the politicians aren’t,” continued the spokesperson.

“I’ve just finished working my night shift and have come straight out onto the picket line because this is our only remaining option. Our politicians simply aren’t standing by us but just keep referring to the pay review body.”

The out-patients department is expected to bare the brunt of today’s strike action and will operate on a Bank Holiday basis however all other services will continue as normal. These include chemotherapy for patients who have already begun their treatment, emergency cancer services, dialysis, critical care units, neonatal and paediatric intensive care units.

GP surgeries and pharmacies remain unaffected by the industrial action.

MORE NEWS

Meanwhile RCN general secretary Pat Cullen has described the strike as ‘a tragic day in nursing’ and has called on the government to resolve the dispute before the year ends.

The next nurses’ strike will take place on December 20.