NURSES at York Hospital are planning to go on strike this week in disputes over fair pay.

Members of the Royal College of Nursing union (RCN) across England are walking out on Wednesday, January 18, and Thursday, January 19, calling for a 19 per cent pay rise, affecting trusts including York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.

The RCN has warned that if progress is not made in negotiations by the end of January the next set of strikes will include all eligible members in England for the first time.

The Government has said that pay claims are unaffordable and that wage rises should be decided by pay review bodies.

However, health unions has said they will no longer work with the NHS Pay Review Body for the 2023-24 pay deal.

A spokesperson for the York trust said: "We value our staff and recognise that they have the right to voice their concerns in this way. 

"We have plans in place to deal with disruption to services, and we will be working closely with our staff and union representatives to ensure we continue to provide safe care for our patients during any period of industrial action.” 

NHS nurses in England and Wales received an average increase of 4.75 per cent.