Nurses react as they treat a COVID-19 patient in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) at Milton Keynes University Hospital, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Milton Keynes, Britain, January 20, 2021. (REUTERS)
GOSPORT, England/LONDON聽 鈥撀� Chukwudubem Ifeajuna, a nurse in the south of England, loves his job, but next month will walk out for two days as part of British nurses鈥� biggest ever strike action, which he says is necessary for staff and patient welfare alike.
The industrial action on Dec. 15 and Dec. 20 is unprecedented in the British nursing union鈥檚 106-year history, and comes as the braces for one of its toughest winters ever.
Ifeajuna has seen members of his team leave to work in supermarkets, where there is less stress and better pay, while he has had to cut back on spending.
鈥淚 have a few staff who are using food banks at the moment. I鈥檝e had to cut down on a lot of things with the kids which I can鈥檛 afford to provide for them because of the high cost of living. So it鈥檚 really really tough, for everyone, not just myself,鈥� he told Reuters.
鈥淲e are striking because we deserve to be paid better. We haven鈥檛 had decent pay for over a decade now.鈥�
Strike action is also impacting Britain鈥檚 rail, postal and education sectors as workers struggle with soaring prices.
Patricia Marquis, director of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) union in England, said the government must listen.
鈥淭his is not something that nurses do at the drop of a hat,鈥� she told Reuters.
鈥楳OST VICIOUS OF CYCLES鈥�
The RCN says experienced nurses like Ifeajuna are 20% worse off in real terms than they were in 2010 after a string of below-inflation pay awards, and are seeking a pay-rise of 5% above RPI (retail price index) inflation.
That would amount to a payrise of 19.2%, based on October鈥檚 inflation data. The government says the RCN demands would cost 10 billion pounds ($12.14 billion) a year and are unaffordable.
But the RCN鈥檚 Marquis said that without higher pay, staff would continue to leave the profession, increasing the pressure on those who remain and ultimately damaging patient care.
Billy Palmer, at the Nuffield Trust health think-tank, told Reuters that those who were considering leaving 鈥渙ften cite issues around not having enough staff to do a good job鈥�, but their departure further exacerbates the staffing problem.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the most vicious of cycles,鈥� he said.
Ifeajuna says he has also sometimes considered quitting.
鈥淏ut each time I鈥檝e had the chance, I sort of had to pause for a minute and say 鈥業 can鈥檛 leave my patients. I can鈥檛 leave my colleagues to suffer alone鈥�,鈥� he said.