Isle of Man: Nurses strike for first time as staff feel ‘disrespected’
Nursing staff on the Isle of Man have gone on strike today for the first time in the island’s history, as nurses say they are “fed up” amid a long-running pay dispute.
Registered nurses, healthcare assistants and even management-level staff in the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) turned out to the strike, taking place from 8am-8pm today (25 July) outside Noble's Hospital, one of two hospitals on the island.
"We are seeing patients too frightened to press the call bell because they see how busy we are, that should never be the case" - Debbie Wolfendale
The most recent proposal is for an additional £1,000 for 2022-23 on top of the existing 6% rise which has already been implemented.
In a statement last week, Manx Care described the £1,000 extra as a non-consolidated lump sum payment. However, the health service has today confirmed that this £1,000 is a consolidated (permanent) rise.
Manx Care said the £1,000 had originally been proposed as a lump sum, but was amended when it "was made clear" this would not be accepted.
However, union members told Nursing Times from today's picket line that this pay deal was not enough to fix recruitment and retention problems on the island.
The 2022-23 offer follows a 4% pay award implemented for 2021-22.
Debbie Wolfendale, RCN North West vice secretary, described watching the “demise of the service” over the last three years, and said working conditions and nursing recruitment had been on the decline for long before.
“After Covid, we went back to normal, and we felt so devalued, demoralised and disrespected,” said Ms Wolfendale.
“We haven’t been able to provide patient-centred care. When it started to impact on safety, that’s what drove us to strike; we’d been absorbing the financials of it.
“We made the incredibly difficult decision to come back on strike to try and get investment back into nursing.”
Ms Wolfendale called on the Isle of Man Government to enter back into negotiations with the RCN for a better pay deal. But she said that, for her, it was not about getting a bigger pay cheque.
She said: “We’re losing so many experienced staff and we can’t replace them.
“We’re not here for the pay, but we need to encourage people to join, and they don’t want to join because we have nurses going to charity banks.
“We’ve been in dispute for three years, and what we want is an enhanced deal. What we’re asking for is not an extortionate amount to help us with recruitment.”
These workforce issues affected patient care, Ms Wolfendale warned.
“It goes against everything we hold dear to strike,” she added.
“But we are seeing patients too frightened to press the call bell because they see how busy we are, that should never be the case.
“We have the support of the patients. People ask us how our conscience can be clear because patients are having appointments cancelled – but the majority of them have already had them cancelled two or three times because of insufficient staffing levels.”
She said support from patients and their families had been “lovely”, and that she was optimistic that the action would trigger new negotiations between RCN and the government.
Yvonne Donlam, a healthcare assistant of four years, said the situation in the island's health services saw her join a union – the RCN – for the first time.
“I’ve never been in a union,” she said.
Nursing staff on the Isle of Man have gone on strike today for the first time in the island’s history, as nurses say they are “fed up” amid a long-running pay dispute.
Registered nurses, healthcare assistants and even management-level staff in the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) turned out to the strike, taking place from 8am-8pm today (25 July) outside Noble's Hospital, one of two hospitals on the island.
"We are seeing patients too frightened to press the call bell because they see how busy we are, that should never be the case"
Debbie Wolfendale
The most recent proposal is for an additional £1,000 for 2022-23 on top of the existing 6% rise which has already been implemented.
In a statement last week, Manx Care described the £1,000 extra as a non-consolidated lump sum payment. However, the health service has today confirmed that this £1,000 is a consolidated (permanent) rise.
Manx Care said the £1,000 had originally been proposed as a lump sum, but was amended when it "was made clear" this would not be accepted.
However, union members told Nursing Times from today's picket line that this pay deal was not enough to fix recruitment and retention problems on the island.
The 2022-23 offer follows a 4% pay award implemented for 2021-22.
Debbie Wolfendale, RCN North West vice secretary, described watching the “demise of the service” over the last three years, and said working conditions and nursing recruitment had been on the decline for long before.
“After Covid, we went back to normal, and we felt so devalued, demoralised and disrespected,” said Ms Wolfendale.
“We haven’t been able to provide patient-centred care. When it started to impact on safety, that’s what drove us to strike; we’d been absorbing the financials of it.
“We made the incredibly difficult decision to come back on strike to try and get investment back into nursing.”
Ms Wolfendale called on the Isle of Man Government to enter back into negotiations with the RCN for a better pay deal. But she said that, for her, it was not about getting a bigger pay cheque.
She said: “We’re losing so many experienced staff and we can’t replace them.
“We’re not here for the pay, but we need to encourage people to join, and they don’t want to join because we have nurses going to charity banks.
“We’ve been in dispute for three years, and what we want is an enhanced deal. What we’re asking for is not an extortionate amount to help us with recruitment.”
These workforce issues affected patient care, Ms Wolfendale warned.
“It goes against everything we hold dear to strike,” she added.
“But we are seeing patients too frightened to press the call bell because they see how busy we are, that should never be the case.
“We have the support of the patients. People ask us how our conscience can be clear because patients are having appointments cancelled – but the majority of them have already had them cancelled two or three times because of insufficient staffing levels.”
She said support from patients and their families had been “lovely”, and that she was optimistic that the action would trigger new negotiations between RCN and the government.
Yvonne Donlam, a healthcare assistant of four years, said the situation in the island's health services saw her join a union – the RCN – for the first time.
“I’ve never been in a union,” she said.
“But I just thought, enough is enough. The work never stops. I love the job, I absolutely adore it, but it’s ridiculous that [the pay dispute] has gone on for so long.”
Lisa Tams, a lead clinical specialist and registered nurse on the Isle of Man, was also on strike today.
“I came to the island about 11 years ago, and things have changed dramatically. On the horizon you can see more change, and it’s not good,” Ms Tams said.
She referred to difficulties in recruitment of students and international nurses, and said the strike was as much about making sure the nursing profession was valued as it was about larger pay packets.
Ms Tams said: “The strike has meant people now realise we’re serious about this. It’s unprecedented here.
“I don’t know if we’re going to get more money today or tomorrow, but we’re serious, and we will do it again. That’s what will happen.
“This certainly won’t be the last action, whether we will strike again, that’ll have to be agreed on.
“But there’s more to come and we all need to keep pressuring our [local health organisations], and show that we’re not going away.”
A Manx Care spokesperson said the organisation "respects and acknowledges" its staff's right to take industrial action, and added that further pay deals would have to come from the Isle of Man's Department of Health and Social Care.
"Manx Care remains open to dialogue," said the spokesperson.
"However, its options are limited due to its financial constraints and it having exhausted its funding pot. All funding that has been received by the organisation to be used for pay awards has already been used to fund pay awards.
"Manx Care’s senior leadership team has worked closely in partnership with RCN executives to plan the industrial action, and multiple joint meetings between both parties have taken place to oversee the plans for this."
The Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care has been contacted for comment.