RCN industrial action | News centre

Following the national ballot by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), RCN members at NHS Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board (which is responsible for planning and buying healthcare services for people in Surrey) met the threshold to take part in industrial action, should they wish to do so.

The RCN did not ask its members at NHS Surrey Heartlands to take part in the earlier dates of industrial action, but members are eligible to join this second phase of action, taking place on 18^th and 19^th January.

We expect some of our RCN members to take part and fully support our staff, whether they choose to participate or not.

As NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB does not provide direct patient care, no local NHS services will be affected on the dates of planned industrial action – all services will continue to run as usual with no disruption to patient care or services across Surrey.

Clare Stone, Director of Multi-Professional Leadership and Chief Nursing Officer for Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership added: 

“As a nurse, I recognise the strength of feeling from colleagues and across the wider health and care system and, as an organisation, we fully support our nurses, whether they choose to take part in the planned action or not.

“Nurses play a vital role in the NHS – both on the frontline providing care to patients – but also behind the scenes, through roles in quality, continuing healthcare, service monitoring and roles that help us design the right care and pathways for local people - and we have many nurses employed by the Integrated Care Board working across these areas, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience.

“As NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB does not provide frontline care, we would like to reassure people in Surrey that the industrial action planned for 18^th and 19^th January will not affect local hospital, community or ambulance services, which will all run as usual.”