STAFF at Bridgwater Community Hospital joined a nationwide strike on Monday morning over a pay dispute.

The protest is over the decision not to implement a 1% pay increase.

The Department for Health says it cannot afford the rise without risking frontline jobs.

UNISON members staged the four-hour stoppage between 7am and 11am outside the hospital in Bower Lane.

Louisa Stevens, Bridgwater Hospital Unison representative, said: “We’re asking the Government to let us have that 1% pay rise which would make a huge difference to a lot of people.

“There are a lot of families, especially single parent families, who need that pay increase – people are really struggling.

“The strike won’t impact on patient care – that is something we would never do so – we’re out here just trying to get the Government to take into consideration the fact that so many people can’t afford not to get that pay rise.”

The Bridgwater Trade Union Council also came out to show their support of the striking NHS staff members. Dave Chapple, Bridgwater TUC chairman, said: “We’re here to show solidarity with the NHS staff.

“On one hand the Government praises the NHS and tells us how good a job everyone does, but then it refuses to give them this pay rise.”

Helen Eccles, UNISON South-West regional head of health, said: “The Government and NHS Employers need to engage in meaningful talks about how to resolve this dispute.

“We are prepared to keep up the pressure all through winter and up until the General Election.”

The strike action follows a fourhour walk out by NHS staff on October 13 – the first in the NHS over pay for more than 30 years.

A spokesperson for the Bridgwater Community Hospital said: “Patient care was not interrupted; planned appointments and procedures went ahead and the Minor Injury Units and other urgent services were unaffected.”