Nurses across the UK consider strike action after rejecting a 3.6% pay rise, calling it inadequate amid rising costs and NHS workforce pressures.
Recent Doctor Strikes: What Happened
This July, thousands of resident doctors walked out across England for a total of five days. The strike action followed their claims that since 2008, their pay has seen a decrease of 20%.
This summer’s industrial action was in demand of a 29% pay rise, and saw Hospitals around the country scrambling to maintain care and appointments. The frustration of these doctors is mirrored in other professions across the NHS, particularly in the nursing staff that are poised to shortly follow in their footsteps. So, what has the UK nurses considering similar action?
Nursing Pay Deal Rejected in Landslide
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) held a massive consultative ballot on a proposed 3.6 % pay increase for 2025/26. With over 170,000 nurses voting (a historic 56 % turnout), a whopping 91 % of nurses rejected the offered pay increase.
Nurses across the UK have said they feel described feel “deeply undervalued” and described the pay offer as “derisory”. Ministers are to act by the end of summer, or face a formal dispute and strike ballot this autumn.
Here’s Why UK Nurses May Strike
Pay erosion & stagnant career paths
Nurses are pushing back against a pay structure that offers limited room for growth. Many new starters earn just over £30,000, a figure that, in real terms, hasn’t kept pace with inflation. With rising living costs and no clear pathway for career progression, frustration is growing fast.
NHS pressures
High vacancy rates, mounting workloads, and corridor care becoming the norm are adding intense pressure on nursing staff. What was once a staffing concern is now a patient safety issue, and it’s taking its toll on morale and retention.
Momentum from doctors’ action
The recent doctor strikes have added fuel to the fire. For many nurses facing similar challenges, the doctors’ decision to walk out has been seen as a wake-up call, and possibly a roadmap for their own action.
What’s Next? Possible Timelines & Outcomes
Formal strike ballot on the cards
If no meaningful negotiations take place before the end of summer, the RCN is expected to escalate things by calling a formal industrial dispute ballot. Nurses have made it clear, without government action, they will act themselves.
Winter disruption warning signs
With both nurses and GPs signalling they’re prepared to take things further, concerns are already being raised about how this could impact the NHS during the busiest time of year. Winter pressures could hit harder than ever.
Backlog fears grow
Following the delays caused by this summer’s doctor strikes, and with the NHS still playing catch-up post-pandemic, any further industrial action could push waiting lists even higher and put patient safety at greater risk.
So, What’s At Stake?
The pressure cooker inside the NHS is close to boiling over. For patients, more strike action could mean fresh waves of delays and disruption just as services are trying to stabilise. For nurses, this moment is about more than just pay, it’s about being heard, respected, and finally seeing a long overdue change to a system that many feel has failed them.
As for the government? It’s a growing challenge to strike the right balance between managing public finances and addressing the deep frustration felt across the healthcare workforce.
However, unless meaningful dialogue happens soon, all signs point toward nurses becoming the next group to take industrial action, which could potentially trigger one of the most significant disputes the NHS has faced in years.
