Thousands of health workers strike today

Thousands of health workers formed picket lines in the city this morning to protest against a one per cent pay increase offer from the Government.

And as reported by the Daily Echo, up to 15,000 nurses, paramedics and other medical staff could take part across Hampshire.

Picket Line outside Southampton General Hospital

Picket lines were formed outside Southampton General Hospital, the Princess Anne Hospital and the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester.

Unison, Unite and GMB unions are leading the charge, claiming staff will walk out “with heavy hearts”.

Rehana Azam, GMB national officer, said: “Their only priority is to deliver the best patient care, quality and outcomes. Even after staff voted to take strike action and action short of a strike the Secretary of State for Health has refused to meet the unions representing NHS staffs.

“The intervention by Government means that the one per cent will only be available to approximately 40 per cent of NHS employees and it will not be consolidated in to basic pay Government intervention is in stark contrast to its view when the independent Pay Review Body for MP's recommended that MP's should receive a pay rise of 11 per cent.”

She added: “Members have seen workload increasing and colleagues being overworked. When the cost of living has increased members have endured not just pay freezes but pay cuts.”

Meanwhile outside the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton Peter Terry, pictured below, regional organiser for Unison, said today that members were calling for more investment in the NHS as well as better pay.

He said: "In real terms our members have had pay cuts for five years and this pay offer from the government is no offer at all.

"We do not take action likely and people here not because they want to cause trouble, they are standing up for their colleagues and the health services and losing money to do it."

He was joined outside the hospital by Southampton City Council public health boss Dave Shields, pictured below, who was there to listen to what picketers had to say.

He said: "This is not something the council can get involved in but I am here to listen to their cause and I think the public will have a lot of sympathy with what's going on here.

"I don't think it's just about pay, it's also about morale of the workforce and the standard of pay within the entire care sector.

"We are very keen to work with the NHS and achieve better care and better work from care staff. "But it would bring everyone a lot closer together if there was more investment in the NHS and the care system."

The GMB has agreed its ambulance crews will respond to life-threatening call-outs as well as other pressing matters such as dialysis or cancer treatment.

Outside the Royal Hampshire County Hospital midwife Liz Collings, pictured below, 59, of Priors Dean Road, Winchester, said: "I'm unhappy about the government's refusal to give us a reasonable pay rise."

She added: "If you work in the NHS it's accepted that you work the hours that are required - that's part of the ethos of the NHS.

"But it's got to the point where people can't maintain a standard of living.

"We live in quite an expensive area. My wage hasn't changed since 2007."

Meanwhile, Richard Pickett, 49, below, a switchboard operator, of Boyatt Wood added: "I've spent 30 years in the NHS.

"The NHS has been poorly paid for decades. It's about time something was addressed."

He said: "We tend to do the job for love, not financial gain, but there comes a point where enough's enough.

"It's a struggle - I'm a single parent and my son lives with me. It's not easy looking after a teenager.

"I don't feel there's been any changes. We're not asking for extortionate figures."

Lisa Birkett, pictured below, a midwife, 41, of Lynden Close, Fareham, said: "I don't do it lightly. I'd never put mothers or babies at risk."

She added: "We work really, really hard and I love my job, I just think sometimes it's taken for granted that because we work so hard we won't strike, and therefore we would sit back and accept having no pay rise."

South Central Ambulance Service said it was putting contingency plans in place to cope with the effects of the action and urged residents to only call 999 if “absolutely essential”.

A spokesman said: “We recognise the right of our employees to strike but we need to maintain an essential service to the public, and in light of this action we are working closely with all our staff, partners and the public to help us reduce demand on our services.

“Contingency plans are being put in place to mitigate any adverse effects of the strike action and ensure the safety of our patients. We are working closely with our unions to deliver patient care that is not compromised across our emergency and non-emergency services.

“We will continue to monitor the situation as it develops and take appropriate action.”

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the General and Princess Anne hospitals, said its services would continue as normal although some maternity and non-urgent appointments could be cancelled.

Cars have constantly beeped while driving past Princess Anne Hospital, thanks to the strong presence of the Royal College of Midwives, whose members are striking for the first time in their 133-year existence.

And the midwives seem to want to make this protest count, shouting chants and waving placards at passers-by and traffic.

Tina Lanning, joint chair of the Southampton branch, said: "This is a historic moment. We feel we need to be valued and deserve the one per cent pay rise that an independent board has recommended the NHS offer.

"Without people you can't have care and for us to vote to strike for the first time ever really sends that message, we feel."

There were cheers and warm greetings with each arrival on the picket line at Winchester's Royal Hampshire County Hospital, which started modestly.

"It was lonely out here at 7 o'clock," said midwife Liz Cummings, who was one of three to start before sunrise.

Another, Norma Poncin, sacrificed her day off to join the picket at the crack of dawn.

But by 9am 15 protestors had arrived, representing Unison and the Royal College of Midwives.

The picket kept warm by waving flags and huddling for photos, while union officials handed out tea and coffee.