NHS Employers respond to nurse strike High Court ruling

Responding to the High Court decision on the upcoming nurses strike which ruled strike action on 2 May 2023 would be illegal, Danny Mortimer chief executive of NHS Employers said:

"The RCN could and should have resolved this significant issue of the legality of its strike sooner.

"More than a week ago now NHS Employers approached the RCN to query whether its mandate for strike action expired at midnight on 1st May 2023 and not the 2nd May as they had appeared to suggest.  

"The RCN vigorously rejected our assertion and we were left with no choice but to ask the Secretary of State to seek the view of the courts.  Clarity has now been achieved, not least for RCN members, and the Judge has confirmed the position we set out last week: any strike action occurring on 2nd May would be illegal."