Nurses’ union leader Pat Cullen: ‘I follow through on what I believe in’

The RCN boss poised to lead the first NHS-wide strike reflects on her long-established readiness to tackle perceived injustices

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Pat Cullen tells a story that is very revealing about the character of the woman who is about to lead Britain's nurses into their first-ever NHS-wide strike - herself.

Almost 40 years ago, back in 1983, Cullen was an 18-year-old trainee nurse at Holywell psychiatric hospital in Antrim, Northern Ireland. She was appalled that under its token economy system" staff punished patients whose behaviour proved difficult by taking away their personal possessions - sweets, cigarettes, washbags or blankets.