Nurses strike: These hospitals in Sussex will be affected as RCN members vote to strike over pay

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) announced its first ever national strike in its 106-year history on Wednesday (November 9), with more than 300,000 members voting to take action.

As a result, thousands of NHS operations and appointments are now set to be cancelled.

Industrial action is expected to begin before the end of this year and could last until early May 2023.

A spokesperson for NHS Sussex said: “NHS organisations across Sussex are working together and individually to make sure there are plans in place to keep any potential disruption to patient care to a minimum should any strike action take place.

“While pay is a matter for Government and the trade unions, we value our staff and want to see a resolution as soon as possible to ensure we can continue to focus on providing high quality patient care to all those who need it.”

Which NHS Trusts will be affected?

In Sussex, members of the RCN in the following NHS Trusts have voted to take strike action:

- East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (which includes the Eastbourne DGH and Conquest Hospital in Hastings);

- University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (which includes St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester, Worthing Hospital, the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath);

- South East Coast Ambulance Service (the ambulance trust serving Sussex);

- Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (which provides community NHS care across Sussex);

- Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (which runs mental health services across Sussex).

Which NHS Trusts aren’t on the list?

- Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (which runs Crawley Hospital and Horsham Hospital).