Nurses across UK to vote in first ever RCN strike ballot over pay

Major disruption to NHS over winter feared if ballot of 300,000 staff over 5% pay increase results in industrial action

Hundreds of thousands of nurses across the UK are to be balloted about going on strike in a move that risks disrupting the NHS this winter.

For the first time in its 106-year history the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is balloting 300,000 of its members about strike action and recommending that they vote in favour.