Nurses from the region's largest hospital and its struggling mental health trust are among those who will be taking historic strike action later this year.

The Royal College of Nursing has confirmed that its nurses will be taking to the picket line in the union's first widespread strike in its 106-year history, to fight for better pay and working conditions.

And while nurses from two of Norfolk's health trusts have not supported strike action, staff from the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust will be among those taking part.

The strike ballot saw union members cast votes on whether to take part or not by health trust, with some coming out in support and others not.

Nurses employed by the following health trusts in the region will be taking part:

  • Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
  • Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
  • Norfolk Community Health and Care Trust
  • NHS Norfolk and Waveney integrated care system

Nurses from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn and the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston voted against strike action and will not be joining the picket lines.

The decision has left health bosses to reassure people that disruption will be kept to a minimum - with urgent and emergency services due to be unaffected.

A spokesman for the health and care sector in Norfolk and Waveney said: "While pay is a matter for government and the trade unions, we value our staff and want to see a resolution as soon as possible to ensure we can continue to focus on delivering patient care to all those who need it.

“Our NHS organisations have tried and tested plans in place to manage any disruption, including industrial action, and will do everything we can to go ahead with planned procedures, especially for patients in greatest clinical need.

“We are working closely with union colleagues and will be finalising plans for our services once a date or dates for industrial action are confirmed.

"We will be contacting patients direct if appointments are affected by industrial action.

“We want to reassure the public that patients should continue to come forward for emergency services as normal and we are committed to keeping disruption in these services to a minimum.”