A full list of NHS hospital trusts impacted by nursing strikes in December has been revealed, and four of these are in the Cambridgeshire area.

Up to 100,000 nursing staff will take part in their biggest ever strike next month in a long-running dispute over pay, it has been announced.

Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will take industrial action on December 15 and 20 after voting in favour in a ballot.

The number of NHS employers affected by action will increase in January unless negotiations are held, said the RCN.

RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: “Ministers have declined my offer of formal pay negotiations and instead chosen strike action.

“It has left us with no choice but to announce where our members will be going on strike in December.

“Nursing is standing up for the profession and their patients. We’ve had enough of being taken for granted and being unable to provide the care patients deserve.

“Ministers still have the power and the means to stop this by opening negotiations that address our dispute.”

Here is a list of NHS hospital trusts in Cambridgeshire that are affected by nursing strikes:

Cambridgeshire
• Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
• Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust
• Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

In total, there are 53 trusts across England taking part in the December strikes.

Some of those include Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, and Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust.

Interim chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery, said: “Nobody wants to see strikes when the NHS is about to experience what may be its hardest ever winter but we understand how strongly nurses feel and why it has come to this.

“We urge the Government to act fast and talk to nurses and union leaders to find a way to avert strikes.

“Trusts up and down the country have been planning for industrial action. Not all of them will be affected directly but those that are will do everything in their power to minimise disruption for patients.

“Trust leaders’ priorities are ensuring the safe delivery of care and supporting the wellbeing of staff who continue to work flat out in the face of below-inflation pay awards, severe staff shortages and ever-increasing workloads.”