for a double digit rise when members have previously been encouraged to accept a smaller offer. it is going to be very difficult for the union, the majority of the other nhs unions, iii the majority of the other nhs unions, 1a in total have backed the deal, ministers have agreed to pay and that should be going into the pay packets next month and ministers are adamant the pay deal will not be reopened, no more talk, it is a done deal. the rcn is running a national ballot so if nurses vote for strike action across england can be involved, previously run a series of local ballots which was to help achieve the threshold necessary to take strike action, 50% of members did to take part in the majority need to back industrial action for
be on people s pay packets. thank you very much forjoining us here on bbc news. let s go over to our health correspondent nick trickle. nick, big news that the pay deal has gone through. how significant a moment is this for the nhs? it is incredibly significant. we have had a rolling series of strikes since december. nurses have taken industrial action. physios and ambulance staff, combined with the interaction withjunior ambulance staff, combined with the interaction with junior doctors, it has led to more than half a million operations and appointments being cancelled. so what we have two date is not the end of that industrial action, because what has been agreed to date is separate to the british medical association s disputes with the government, which are still ongoing. but that does mean that most of that strike action we have seenin most of that strike action we have seen in the past few months by the
unions, has the result. it criticised the government for not having proper pay talks last autumn and said it could have avoided lots of the strikes over the last six months of those talks had taken place much earlier, and now says that pain must be in pay packets as soon as soon as possible. another union, gmb, again representing paramedics and ambulance workers, welcomed the result and said it was an important first step to addressing ongoing issues facing its members. it listed a number of issues that still needed to tackle to improve things in the workplace, things like a review of payments for unsociable hours, and also they want to see tackle be violence against staff which a number of its members have experienced. and it is calling for the government to restore what it called a decade of lost earnings. it also wants to improve the health service for the public, including more funding for mental health and social care. but given the result, it may not end all nhs strikes.
find some unaffordable. so they are trying to find some common ground. katharine, while we are looking at the fact that this deal has been secured, that s help our viewers with two groups. the nhs staff council. can you explain what that is, how it works and why it is relevant today? that is made up of these 14 have unions that is made up of these 14 have unions and that is made up of these 14 have unions and also incorporates nhs leaders unions and also incorporates nhs leaders and government officials, who also leaders and government officials, who also sit on that. so that is who are meeting who also sit on that. so that is who are meeting today to discuss the deal are meeting today to discuss the deal the are meeting today to discuss the deal. the unions put it to their members deal. the unions put it to their members to vote. many of them had already members to vote. many of them had already reported as results, which is why already reported as results, which is