NURSES at Warrington Hospital will not be taking part in the upcoming strikes.

Yesterday, Wednesday, it was announced by The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) that its members in the majority of NHS employers across the UK had backed industrial action.

A number of large hospitals in England will see strike action by RCN members – however, Warrington Hospital will not be affected.

This is because the number of union members needed to take part in the strike ballot didn’t cross the legal threshold.

A spokesperson for Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation said: “At least 50% of union members need to take part in a strike ballot for it to count.

“We have been informed by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) that the number of members who voted at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals was less than the 50 per cent  required to proceed.”

Industrial action is expected to be held before the end of the year - the health service will turn its attention to treating emergency patients in a “life-preserving care model”, with sources saying some hospitals on strike days will have staffing levels similar to those over Christmas.

Some of the most serious cancer cases could still be treated, while urgent diagnostic procedures and assessments will be staffed if they are needed to gather data on potentially life-threatening conditions or those that could lead to permanent disability.