UK TREND : Steve Barclay fails to stop further NHS strikes

10 January 2023

As the Unite union brands negotiations “an insult” and claims no detailed discussions were undertaken on a pay settlement, Health Secretary Steve Barclay fails to prevent further walkouts by nurses, ambulance workers, and auxiliary NHS staff. The strike of ambulance workers will take place on Wednesday following failed crisis talks, during which Mr. Barclay told union leaders any pay increase would require increased “productivity and efficiency.”

Steve Barclay will talk to the RCN about "productivity"
How do you measure caring for someone in their final hours?

— sue#NHSLove💙💙💙#FBNHS #GeneralElectionNow (@SueSuezep) January 7, 2023

According to the Royal College of Nursing, the 45-minute meeting with Mr. Barclay was “bitterly disappointing” and criticised him for refusing to talk about the current dispute.

Steve Barklay outrages NHS staff

ترند بريطانيا

The hashtag #Steve Barclay has been trending on social media sites since news of the brief meeting and its conclusions broke. Since the Minister of Health told unions that already overworked NHS workers must increase their productivity to “justify” a pay increase, members of the public, in particular health care workers, have expressed their anger at the Minister of Health as his demands demonstrate a lack of empathy and understanding for the overworked, underpaid NHS employees.

The public was outraged at how Steve Barclay insulted NHS employees by claiming they needed to “increase their productivity to justify a pay rise” when, in their opinion, they are “some of the hardest working people in the country.”

Political editor Liam Thorp criticised Steve Barclay for attempting to “play down what is an all-consuming and existential crisis that has been building for many years” as a result of the conservative party’s lack of funding and support to ensure the NHS operates effectively. He did this by expressing “ regrets that the experience for some patients in A&E has not been acceptable in recent weeks” .

Individuals were in support of Thorp and were tweeting about how unacceptable Barclay’s statements were.

Steve Barclay has demanded that health workers increase productivity pic.twitter.com/5GJDvCckvP

— sue#NHSLove💙💙💙#FBNHS #GeneralElectionNow (@SueSuezep) January 9, 2023

One Twitter user shared images of Steve Barclay sleeping in the house of commons, during the time he should have been “ working to help the public”, thus making his demand for health workers to increase productivity ironic.

Additionally, it was noted that while he had the last three weeks off for the holidays and the opportunity to travel with family, NHS employees were unable to do so and were forced to put in long hours in an effort to handle the crisis.

The public was outraged by the health minister’s comments. Many people vented their anger on Twitter at the Conservative government for allowing the crisis to develop and for failing to stop it and support healthcare workers. The hashtag #General Election Now is being used by users when tweeting.