let's hear from the top official at the royal college of nursing, the general secretary. ave taken every single step that we can as the royal college of nursing and the nurses to ensure that patient safety continues on the ward. but actually every single day patient safety is compromised in northern ireland because there aren t enough nurses to deliver safe care so actually today is no different. we ve taken special measure to ensure that the wards are covered, particularly for life preserving care, but actually if nurses do not stand up then patient safety is compromised every single day, today and thereafter. the general secretary of the royal couege the general secretary of the royal college of nursing. and joint on the picket line in dundonald by a nurse on strike today, andrew high have you taken this step? two things why we are here today, first about pay parity with our colleagues and the mainland of uk and scotland and secondly about staffing levels and northern ireland within our trusts have over 3000 nursing vacancies and approximately the same figures within the

we can return to our coverage of the nurses strike in northern ireland. members of the royal collegeime in the organisation's103 year history, over concerns over pay and patient safety. we can speak to the chief executive and general secretary of the royal college of nursing. thank you forjoining us today. i notice this morning on your twitter account that the banner at the top says, one nurse makes all the different sounds northern ireland is now missing thousands of them. do you directly link the poorer pay that nurses in northern ireland receive relative to collea g u es northern ireland receive relative to colleagues in the rest of the uk to the staffing levels there? yes, definitely. we can see there are almost 3000 vacancies in northern ireland. every newly qualified nurse in northern ireland receives around £1500 less than a nurse anywhere else in the uk. i think what we can see is that if nurses can earn better elsewhere, they will go elsewhere. i really want to thank every single nurse in northern ireland today for standing up for patient safety. presumably you want the mone

of quite a few things. it is a huge step for a nurse to go on strike. we know that the royal couege on strike. we know that the royal colleget had a strike for more than one century. we have never had a strike in the royal couege have never had a strike in the royal college of nursing in the 103 year history. i really need to emphasise, we didn't take this lightly. every nurse searched her heart and we agonised over this decision but ultimately we have to advocate for the patients, we had to step forward and we had to say that this needs to end. we need to change. are you prepared to continue strike action, to carry out more strike action? we have given notice to the hse here in northern ireland up to and including march 2020. that is not something that we want to do and we are hoping that we want to do and we are hoping that our assembly here in northern ireland will come up with a solution but we have started this and we need to see it through. you think you can win this battle? we are very hopeful. there were some talks of the week before last and some further funds were made available andi further funds were made availa

the royal college of nursing has existed for 103 years, this is the first time its members have walked. it is a very sad day for nursing and all our colleagues that it had to come to this. this goes against the grain for all nurses. the main thing is definitely patient safety. when we go to wards we see a staffing deficit and it is actually very concerning for all of us. more than 15,000 nurses are on strike but many other health care professionals are taking part in this industrial action, too, from paramedics to social workers to administrators. their basic message is they want to be paid the same as nhs staff in the rest of the uk. the relatively low wages means it's been difficult to fill jobs. the relatively low wages means it's been difficult to filljobs. there are more than 7000 vacancies across the health service in northern ireland. 2800 are in nursing positions. to fill the gap, more than £200 million has been spent on agency staff in the past year which has led to pressure on existing staff. in a survey, almost half of workers said they felt unwell as a result of work—relate

of remorse. around 9,000 nurses in northern ireland will stage a 12—hour strike today over ongoing disputes about pay and staffing levels. it's the first time members of the royal college. fiat chrysler, which also makes alfa romeo, jeep and maserati cars, is to merge with peugeot, which also manufactures vauxhall and citroen vehicles. the deal will create the world's fourth largest carmaker, selling 9 million vehicles a year. we will be back with carol and little bit later on. she has details on our weather and the record—breaking temperatures in australia. john is here with a little bit of different history being made in the darts. unbelievable last night. history made at the pdc world darts championship at ally pally. absolutely amazing scenes. she will be hoping now having reaching the second round she can follow it up again. really special night for her last night. she said she has proven something for women stars that they can play the men and beat them. the 25—year—old needed a double 18 to beat ted evetts, which she nailed with her second throw to book her place in the second round. she plays again on saturday. she's only the fifth woman to play at the tourname

the general election boris johnson says he's going to recruit more nurses within days of his election victory the festival royal college of nursing strike happened in northern ireland it should be said in your film you show what it's like health care in the united states. but since that horton part of tell me about what it was like to film there and what is the relevance for people in britain to show and the kind of images in your film but the film in the united states is has 2 parts of the 1st parts very important i think it's based on interviews. with people who've had experience. direct experience in the system that according to their own sources. to the to the source of the medical industry in the united states insurance industry. effectively leave something like 87000000 people out of the system that is they haven't enough insure they have insurance or the insurance hasn't enough what they call in america deductibles that is. excess charges on it and they simply can't afford it. and something like and this is a very minimal figure. at least $20000.00 people die because they can't get treatment under the system in

the royal college of nursing has existed for 103 years, this is the first time its members have walked against the grain for all nurses. the main thing is definitely patient safety. when we go to wards we see a staffing deficit and it is actually very concerning for all of us. more than 15,000 nurses are on strike, but many other health care professionals are taking part in this industrial action too, from paramedics to social workers to administrators. their basic message is they want to be paid the same as nhs staff in the rest of the uk. the relatively low wages mean it has been difficult to fill jobs, the relatively low wages mean it has been difficult to filljobs, there are more than 7000 vacancies across the health service in northern ireland. 2800 of those are in nursing positions. to fill the gap, more than £200 million has been spent on agency staff in the past year, which has led to pressure on existing staff. in a survey, almost half of workers said they felt u nwell half of workers said they felt unwell as a result of work—related stress with a third thinking of leaving. nu

of nurses in northern ireland have begun a 12—hour strike over pay and patient safety. and at 9:15am we'll be speaking live to the chief executive and general secretary of the royal college

it is the first time in its 103—year history that the royal college of nursing has taken strike action been implemented in northern ireland because of budgetary reasons and political paralysis. unions argue the real value of nurses‘ pay has fallen by 15% over the past eight years. northern ireland‘s health service, which is devolved, is already under strain, with record waiting lists and staffing problems. emma vardy reports. horn honking. cheering. from 8:00am this morning, an unprecedented step. thousands of nurses out of the wards and on picket lines. nobody wants to be here today, but we‘re at the point where nurses have been talking for a long, long time, and action has been required. no—one is standing out here in the rain out of choice, but we feel like it is essential for our patients‘ safety. nearly 5,000 outpatient appointments were cancelled today, and a number of minor injury units closed, but there was significant support for health workers striking. from those like sean, who came to stand in solidarity with the nurse who cared for his dying daughter. where she died was li

of care system we want? thank you. nurses in northern ireland have gone on strike, with the royal college of nurses union taking industrialns. a 6.5% pay rise last year for all nhs staff excluding doctors has not been implemented in northern ireland because of the absence of devolved government. health issues come under the remit of the northern ireland assembly at stormont, but it hasn't sat for almost three years, and unions argue the real value of nurses‘ pay has fallen by 15% over the past eight years. northern ireland's health service, which is devolved, is already under strain, with record waiting lists and staffing problems. emma vardy reports. horn honking. from eight this morning, an unprecedented step. thousands of nurses out of the wards and on picket lines. nobody wants to be here today but we are at the point where nurses have been talking for a long, long time and action has been required. no one is standing out here in the rain out of choice but we feel it is essential for our patients' safety. nearly 5,000 outpatient appointments were cancelled today, and a number of minor injury units closed, but there wa

around 9,000 nurses in northern ireland are staging a 12—hour strike today, over ongoing disputes about pay and staffing levels. it s the first time members of the royal collegeg have ever taken part in strike action. all emergency departments will remain open, but some routine appointments will be cancelled and a number of minor injury units will be closed. tony blair is warning that labour will be "replaced" as a serious political force if it tries to "whitewash" the scale of its election defeat. the former prime minister presented research suggesting labour's problems go far deeper than its leadership and brexit stance. mr corbyn faced fury within his party at the first meeting of labour mps last night, where he was criticised for both the campaign and the lack of an apology. president trump is set to face a trial in the us senate if — as expected — the house of representatives votes in favour of impeaching him today. if convicted by the senate, he would be removed from office — something that's never happened in us history. in a public letter, mr trump has accused the democratic speaker of the house, nancy pelosi, and her party of "subverting democracy" w