MP Sarah Atherton has shared her thoughts on the National nurses strike happening across the country and at Wrexham Maelor Hospital today, December 15.

Conservative MP Sarah Atherton represents the Wrexham constituency and is a former district nurse at Wrexham Maelor Hospital. 

The MP recently called for a new a 'modern, fit for purpose' hospital in Wrexham. 

Discussing the current issues surrounding the Welsh healthcare system she said: "The biggest challenge facing my Wrexham constituents is access to healthcare. It is by far the number one issue in my inbox. With 1 in 4 waiting for an operation in Wales compared to 1 in 20 in England, it is no wonder that Wales feels let down."

Wrexham nurses joined those across the UK by going on strike for the first time today as part of industrial action over low pay, understaffing and patient safety concerns.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has never before in its 106-year history called a national strike.

But today, a picket line was set up outside the Heddfan Psychiatric Unit at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital. 

READ MORE: 'Understaffed, undervalued, underpaid' - nurses at Wrexham Maelor Hospital on strike

Commenting on the decision to strike MP Atherton said: "As a nurse myself, I can confidently say that striking is not in our nature. I understand nurses will have thought long and hard before voting to strike as this will inevitably impact waiting lists and accessibility to healthcare."

The MP called on the Welsh government to utilise funding from the UK's settlement to Wales to "increase nurses pay, and/or build new hospitals."

During the pandemic the MP returned to nursing wards and comments that she "saw first-hand how long and hard the nurses worked in very challenging working conditions.

"There was a visible lack of managers, sickness levels were high which increased pressure on the remaining staff and highly paid agency staff were brought in but not able to undertake many of the same clinical duties.

"I worked 12-hour shifts, in full PPE on a restricted Covid ward for net £14.37 per hour which I donated to the Maelor Voluntary Service."

The MP voiced her support for the strikes, reflecting that nurses are "Under-resourced, overworked, and undervalued, and increased pay alone will not solve the problems facing staffing in the NHS."

However, the MP said the 19% payrise demand from the Royal College of Nursing is "too high".

She said: "After the pandemic, and during this cost of living crisis we need to be careful to balance the pressure of inflation with fair pay rises, and 19% is too high.

"19% may well be what nurses deserve for the important work they do, and that was certainly clear at the height of the pandemic, but it is an unachievable figure during the current economic climate."