HUNDREDS of NHS workers at Whiston and St Helens hospitals were due to form picket lines this morning as part of a national strike over pay.

Unions argue staff have experienced years of falling living standards, with pay “falling in real terms each year since 2009”.

And Unison claims most NHS staff will not get any cost of living payment this year. 

Members within the NHS are staging a four-hour stoppage between 7am and 11am today (Monday).

This will be followed by six days of action short of a strike between Tuesday, November 25 and Sunday, November 30, which will see members their scheduled breaks, leave on time and not work unpaid overtime.

It follows an initial wave of industrial action last month.  

In a statement issued by Unison’s St Helens & Knowsley Health Branch, the union quoted one member with three children, who will be taking action.

The NHS employee said: “It’s a real struggle to make ends meet each week.  Paying the bills is hard and I end up having to rob Peter to pay Paul.

“I can barely afford the kids’ bus fares to college.  If we need anything extra it’s a big problem - I needed a filling recently and had to live with toothache for a few weeks while I saved up.   

“We have to pay to park at work and our pension contributions have gone up.  I’ve seen colleagues working so many extra shifts to try to earn enough money to get by that they’ve ended up damaging their own health and going off sick. 

“The Government refusing to pay us even a 1% rise this year was the final straw for us.  We have to take action because we are so desperate.  If David Cameron was here I’d plead with him to listen to the people’s voices.  We just can’t go on like this anymore.   

“Morale is low in our NHS.  Staff are working hard to keep services afloat but are being treated very badly by the Government.  NHS workers are now 10% worse off than they were in 2010 and the refusal to pay even 1% this year has felt like a slap in the face. 

“More unions are taking part in the strike action than last time and the pressure on the Government to treat NHS staff fairly is growing. 

“Health workers feel over worked and under-valued.  They feel they have no option but to take action for fair pay.  The Government needs to listen.” 

In a statement St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trsut said: “The Trust is working closely with all staff, their union representatives, and other local NHS organisations to minimise any disruption to hospital services.

“All urgent and emergency care will continue to be provided. However, we ask patients to consider the seriousness of their condition prior to attending the Accident and Emergency Department.

“Whilst some non-urgent appointments have been re-scheduled, those patients affected have been contacted and will be seen as soon as possible.

“Patients who have been advised by their GP to come to the hospitals for the services below are asked to attend after the times stated:

“ROUTINE BLOOD TESTS – AFTER 11AM ON THIS DAY

“ROUTINE X-RAYS – AFTER 12PM ON THIS DAY

“A dedicated telephone helpline, for patients of St Helens and Whiston hospitals, will be in operation from 7am until 12pm, please call:

“0151 430 1111 or visit the Trust website: www.sthk.nhs.uk

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this national strike action.”