NHS mental health leaders call for nurses’ strike staff exemption

NHS Confederation’s mental health network says patient safety will be ‘put at direct risk’ by strike

Leaders of specialist NHS mental health trusts are warning that patients will be at risk of self-harm or suicide as a result of next week’s nurses’ strike in England unless an exemption for their staff is agreed.

Some areas of mental health nursing were agreed as an exemption in earlier industrial action because psychiatric wards require particularly high levels of staffing. This is to mitigate the risk of patients quickly deteriorating and suddenly requiring one on one supervision, as well as to ensure nurses’ safety.