Nurses and ambulance staff have taken part in a joint strike in Reading over pay and working conditions.

Nursing staff gathered at a picket line outside the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Craven Road in protest over a lack of pay increase to match inflation and worsening conditions due to workloads.

Jose Lopez has worked at the hospital since 2000, and currently serves in the endoscopy department.

He has never been on strike before, and was unsatisfied with the lack of concessions from the government.

Mr Lopez said: “The [government] has provided nothing at all.

“I’ll be staying here until I finish evening, I’ll go for lunch then come back again!

“We will be striking until the government will listen to us.”

The nurses strike was organised by the Royal College of Nurses, members of which engaged in a similar strike on Thursday, December 15, 2022.

This time, they were joined by ambulance staff members of the GMB union.

Rachel Harrison, GMB National Secretary, has called on the government to ‘get serious’ on pay negotiations with ambulance staff.

The strike took place on Monday, February 6 and Tuesday, February 7.

The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust said that anyone who’s appointments have been affected by the strike action have been informed in advance with the appointment being re-arranged.

Those that were not contacted directly had their appointments go ahead as planned.

During strike periods, and for medical assistance that is not an emergency, the Trust has encouraged patients to use the Urgent Care Centre in Broad Street Mall, which is open from 8am-8pm each day.

Speaking on behalf of the government, Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Despite contingency measures in place, strikes by ambulance and nursing unions this week will inevitably cause further delays for patients who already face longer waits due to the Covid backlogs.

“We prioritised £250 million of support last month for extra capacity in urgent and emergency care, but strikes this week will only increase the disruption faced by patients.

“The Governor of the Bank of England warned if we try to beat inflation with high pay rises, it will only get worse and people would not be better off.

“It is crucial people continue to access the services they need – please attend your appointments unless told otherwise, use 999 in a life-threatening emergency and use NHS 111 online services, your GP and pharmacy for non-urgent health needs.

“I have held constructive talks with the trade unions on pay and affordability and continue to urge them to call off the strikes.

“It is time for the trade unions to look forward and engage in a constructive dialogue about the Pay Review Body Process for the coming year.”

Mr Barclay is the Conservative MP for North East Cambridgeshire.