Wigan's nurses speak out on 'tough profession' as they form picket line in national pay dispute

Staff at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – along with colleagues at 72 NHS trusts in England – are protesting until 8pm today and will strike again tomorrow.

It is the second time staff in Wigan have walked out, and the third time for other nurses in the dispute, and coincides with workers at North West Ambulance Service taking industrial action.

Sarah Ahmed, a nurse for 39 years, said: “It’s always been a tough profession, both mentally and physically, but now it is cruel. It’s cruel to patients.

“I have never known it as bad as it is. When I have a patient in front of me, they are the most important person in my life – even above my children. But you’ve got 80-year-olds waiting hours to get onto a trolley. It’s unsafe and it’s cruel. It makes me cry.”

The Royal College of Nursing – which represents two-thirds of NHS nurses – is striking over pay and working conditions.

It offered to call off action if Prime Minister Rishi Sunak matched pay increases agreed in Wales and Scotland.

Paul Watterson, a ward manager at Leigh Infirmary, said: “It’s all about patient safety. We’re being pulled from pillar to post, doing multiple tasks. We’re doing more data inputting and computer-based work. You can’t be in three, four, five places at once but that’s what’s expected now.

“A lot of our colleagues are not here with us because they can’t afford not to be paid on a strike day. And the stress – we’ve probably got a post-traumatic stress problem coming.”

Staff on the picket line on Wigan Lane were joined by a samba band, councillors, patients and members of the public.

Nurse Karen Ashcroft, who is considering leaving the profession after more than 30 years, said: “It’s not what it used to be. We haven’t got sufficient staff. We’re constantly relying on NHS professionals and agency staff to cover. They won’t give the same standard of care as they haven’t got that same investment.

“If there’s an incentive to keep me working, then you’ll keep my knowledge, skills and experience in the NHS.”

Michael Jones, who is receiving daily treatment at the hospital for an infected wound, said: “It’s bedlam. I’ve seen nurses in tears because they’re working so hard doing 12-hour shifts. I’ve seen them being abused by patients, called scum and far worse words than that.

“I’ve seen them doing 15-day continuous shifts because their colleagues are so overworked. It’s horrendous.”

Hospital bosses said there were “robust plans in place” during the strike action, but patients should only go to A&E in a limb or life-threatening emergency.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: “We accepted the recommendations of the independent pay review body to give over one million NHS workers, including nurses and ambulance workers, a pay rise of at least £1,400 this financial year, on top of an increase the previous year when wider public sector pay was frozen.

“I have been having constructive talks with unions about what is affordable for 2023/24 and urge them to call off the strikes and come back around the table.”