Nurses in England pause strike action to enter ‘intensive’ pay talks

Health secretary, Steve Barclay, to take part in talks on pay, conditions and productivity-enhancing reforms'

Ministers and the nursing union will hold intensive talks" on Wednesday to try to resolve the increasingly bitter dispute that has already resulted in six strikes by NHS nurses.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) called off a 48-hour walkout planned to begin in England on 1 March after the health secretary, Steve Barclay, agreed to hold face-to-face talks on pay with its general secretary, Pat Cullen, for the first time since 9 January.