Nursing staff in Cornwall are among those voting to take strike action over pay levels and patient safety concerns.

A list of NHS trusts taking part nationally has been issued by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) this afternoon.

It shows that staff from the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust, Cornwall Partnership Foundation Trust and South West Ambulance Service have all voted to be part of the industrial action.

This is the first statutory ballot on industrial action across the UK in the 106-year history of the Royal College of Nursing.

When seeking a local response to the decision, the Packet was told that as it was a national dispute it was a matter for the Department for Health and Social Care - although more local information would be given once it was clear what action was being taken and when.

However, a local NHS spokesperson said: “Clearly we will want to reassure people that emergency care won’t be affected.”

The Royal College of Nursing said action will take place in the NHS trusts or health boards that have met the relevant legal requirements. The results for each NHS employer have been analysed individually in what is known as a ‘disaggregated’ ballot.

Industrial action is expected to begin before the end of this year and the RCN’s mandate to organise strikes runs until early May 2023, six months after members finished voting.

Nursing staff were balloted following NHS Agenda for Change pay announcements earlier this year, which the RCN claims left experienced nurses 20% worse off in real-terms compared to ten years earlier.

It added that in the last year, 25,000 nursing staff around the UK left the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register – with poor pay contributing to staff shortages across the UK, and “affecting patient safety”.

There are 47,000 unfilled registered nurse posts in England’s NHS alone.

The Fair Pay for Nursing campaign is calling for a pay rise of 5% above inflation (measured by RPI).

RCN general secretary and chief executive Pat Cullen said: “Anger has become action – our members are saying enough is enough. The voice of nursing in the UK is strong and I will make sure it is heard. Our members will no longer tolerate a financial knife-edge at home and a raw deal at work.

“Ministers must look in the mirror and ask how long they will put nursing staff through this. While we plan our strike action, next week’s Budget is the UK government’s opportunity to signal a new direction with serious investment. Across the country, politicians have the power to stop this now and at any point.

“This action will be as much for patients as it is for nurses. Standards are falling too low and we have strong public backing for our campaign to raise them. This winter, we are asking the public to show nursing staff you are with us.”