UNISON’s NHS workers in the South-West, including nurses, occupational therapists, porters, paramedics, medical secretaries, cooks and healthcare assistants, have voted yes to industrial action in a dispute over pay in England.

NHS staff have been denied a pay rise following the Government’s decision to ignore the independent PRB recommendation, meaning 60% of NHS staff and 70% of nurses won’t get a pay rise for the next two years, the union claims The result of the national ballot is as follows.

Are you prepared to take part in a strike? YES: 68%. NO: 32%.

Are you prepared to take part in action short of strike action? YES: 88. NO: 12%.

UNISON regional head of health Helen Eccles said: “UNISON members across the South-West are struggling to meet their household bills whilst continuing to deliver good quality healthcare across the region.

"It’s because of this deep rooted desire to ensure that good healthcare provision is maintained that our members have reluctantly decided that Industrial Action is the only way to make this government sit up and listen.

"The tens of thousands of UNISON health members in the South-West are asking Jeremy Hunt to come back and talk to the health unions – the power is with the government to end this dispute.”

UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis said: "This Government's treatment of NHS workers has angered them and this anger has now turned into action.

"Refusing to pay them even a paltry 1% shows what the Government really thinks about its health workers. Inflation has continued to rise since 2011 and the value of NHS pay has fallen by around 12%.

"We know health workers don’t take strike action lightly or often. The last action over pay was 32 years ago. But we also know a demoralized and demotivated workforce isn’t good for patients.

"If we move into industrial action we will work with NHS employers to minimize the impact on patients. But its not too late for Jeremy Hunt to act to avoid this and We repeat our offer to the Government to negotiate with us. To date the Secretary of State has refused to meet with health unions to negotiate pay."