Strikes have and are planned for almost every single day this month – Merry Christmas.

Today, up to 100,000 nursing staff are taking part in industrial action in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. The strike will take place for 12 hours – from 8am to 8pm.

This is the second day this month nurses have walked out, after they went to the picket lines on December 15 as well.

On top of this, driving examiners are again downing tools today after several consecutive days of action.

Some driving tests might be affected – with people urged to check the Government’s website for more information.

The strike is part of national industrial action by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union over pay, pensions, jobs and redundancy terms.

The nursing protests will affect 44 trusts but the NHS said it has taken measures to operate despite the worker shortage.

Most preparation has taken place on a local level but nationally, hospitals with capacity have been primed to step in to help if necessary.

The NHS has also discussed extra support from the independent sector, the voluntary sector and social care.

Hospitals will prioritise urgent and emergency care while ‘doing all they can to preserve planned care’.

‘But strike action will inevitably mean some disruption,’ NHS England warned.

It said: ‘Nobody should put off seeking emergency care. Key life-saving services are set to continue.

‘Patients whose conditions are not life-threatening are likely to experience delays in accessing urgent care in affected trusts and during ambulance strikes.

‘Patients should attend as normal during strike days. Some planned care appointments may be rescheduled.

‘Hospitals will contact patients directly if their appointments need to be rescheduled due to industrial action.’

Talks aimed at averting the walk-out between the RCN and the government broke down last Monday night.

The RCN’s Pat Cullen said: ‘For many of us, this is our first time striking and our emotions are really mixed. The NHS is in crisis, the nursing profession can’t take any more, our loved ones are already suffering.  

‘It is not unreasonable to demand better. This is not something that can wait. We are committed to our patients and always will be.’

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