Further nurse strike dates announced in England

Nurses will go on strike again on 18 and 19 January in England unless pay talks are opened, the Royal College of Nursing says.

Nurses at more hospital trusts than before will be involved in the strike action in the new year, the union said.

Meanwhile, the GMB union has called off a second day of ambulance strikes planned in England and Wales for 28 December.

But it announced a new co-ordinated walkout on 11 January.

Two days of nurses strikes were held in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on 15 and 20 December, involving more than 21,000 nursing staff.

Pat Cullen, head of the RCN, said the union had been left "with no choice" but to arrange January strikes.

"The government had the opportunity to end this dispute before Christmas but instead they have chosen to push nursing staff out into the cold again in January," Ms Cullen said.

"The public support has been heart-warming and I am more convinced than ever that this is the right thing to do for patients and the future of the NHS."

Up to 10,000 ambulance members were expected to walk out on Wednesday 28 December.

The union said it was scrapping the action next week so that "the public will be able to enjoy Christmas without additional anxiety".

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