Video: First-ever NHS physiotherapy strike over pay takes place in England
Yesterday (26 January 2023), NHS physiotherapy staff in England took part in their first-ever strike over pay.
Up to 4,200 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) members from 30 trusts went on strike yesterday, as part of the continuous dispute over the pay award given to NHS staff on the Agenda for Change pay scale.
CSP has been calling for meaningful discussions over an improved deal since last summer, with the pay award given by the UK Government being less than half the rate of inflation, which the society reacted angrily to.
No new offer has been given to NHS physiotherapy staff by the UK Government, which has led to staff “reluctantly” striking to make a stand for fair pay.
Commenting on the large numbers of physiotherapy staff who took part in the strike, Jim Fahie, Assistant Director of Employment Relations at the CSP, said on the day: “There has been an amazing turnout of support today.
“Physiotherapy staff have taken action at 40 picket lines across the country, and the call to strike has been well observed at all 30 employers affected by the CSP’s collective action.
“CSP staff and officials have also been out in force, supporting our members throughout the day, and officials and reps from across the trade union movement have made solidarity visits and attended the picket lines. Members have also continued to support patients ‘under life and limb cover’.”
Jim also noted that this historic strike has received a lot of media coverage, strong support from the general public, and encouraging messages of solidarity from other healthcare staff and professional organisations.
“Our members didn’t want to have to strike today, but they simply can’t afford to accept the current pay offer as it stands,” continued Jim. “Right now, physiotherapy staff in the NHS are overstretched, underpaid and unable to provide the full level of care that patients urgently need.
“If the government doesn’t come back with a fair pay offer, then the NHS risks losing more and more valuable members of staff – and that will only make the current crisis in the NHS worse!”
Among those attending was CSP Steward Trupti Bhandari, who was part of the strike action taking place at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust in London.
Watch her message about the strike action in the short video below:
New polling, conducted by Opinium, shows that 56 percent of the public backs strike action against 25 percent who oppose it. The poll was carried out between 20-24 January and the sample was 2,000 UK adults.
Crucially, 71 per cent of those who took part in the poll also said the government must come up with a better deal for physiotherapy staff and other NHSE workers to end the dispute.
Claire Sullivan, CSP Director of Employment Relations, commented: “The government’s strategy during this dispute has been simply inexplicable and is entirely to blame for these strikes.
“It is gratifying that the public recognises where the fault lies and strongly supports the actions our members are taking, but it is galling that they have been forced to do something none of them would ever want to do.
“The government must come to the table with something tangible that we can put to our members to prevent more strikes following if there is no progress. We are determined to secure a pay deal that helps our members cope with the cost of living crisis and helps the NHS recruit and retain staff to deliver the services that patients desperately need.”
On the day, Karen Middleton, CSP CEO, said that NHS physiotherapy staff morale is at the lowest she has ever seen. She said the strike is not just about pay but also about the physiotherapy workforce crisis being made worse because of the unfair pay.
Watch Karen talk during the strike in the video below: