Royal College of Nursing (RCN) general secretary Pat Cullen has told Sky News she met with Health Secretary Steve Barclay with "hopes" to avoid nursing strikes this week, but the government "was true to its word - they would not talk to me about pay".

She said Mr Barclay "showed total belligerence to the nursing profession this afternoon, he closed his books and walked away".

The RCN is demanding a pay rise of 5% above the RPI rate of inflation, but ministers have insisted doing so would take funds from frontline services.

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