Belfast, 11 October 2026 – The Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) is set to formally notify Health and Social Care Health and Social Care employers of its intention to ballot members for industrial action as growing anger mounts over proposed cuts, delayed pay awards and increasing pressure on frontline services.
The ballot will open on 21 October and close in November, with thousands of Health and Social Care workers being asked whether they are prepared to take industrial action to defend jobs, staffing levels, pay and services.
The move follows NIPSA's Enough Is Enough campaign and an extensive consultation with members working across the Health and Social Care Trusts.
Members have told the union they are no longer prepared to accept a cycle of broken promises, increasing workloads, unsafe staffing levels and cuts to services.
NIPSA's decision comes after confirmation that Health and Social Care organisations will be expected to deliver savings of more than 12% over the next three years.
The union has warned that, after years of so-called efficiency measures, cuts of this scale cannot be delivered without damaging services and impacting staff.
NIPSA Assistant Secretary Kevin Kelly said:
"Health and Social Care workers have reached a tipping point.
"Our members are telling us they have had enough of being asked to do more with less while services are cut, staff go unrecognised and pay issues remain unresolved.
"Workers are still waiting for the 2026/27 pay award, many low-paid staff are still waiting for the Real Living Wage, and there remains ongoing frustration around pay reform parity.
"At the same time, the Executive is expecting Health and Social Care organisations to deliver cuts of more than 12% over the next three years.
"Our members have been crystal clear. Enough is enough.
"We are therefore asking members to stand together and vote Yes in the forthcoming ballot so that we can send the strongest possible message to employers, the Minister and the Executive that Health and Social Care services cannot continue down this path."
The union says members are seeking:
- 2026/27 Pay Award Now
- Pay Reform Parity
- Real Living Wage Implementation
- Safe Staffing
- Job Security
NIPSA is urging all eligible members to take part in the ballot and return their vote as soon as possible.
A strong Yes vote, the union says, will send a clear message that Health and Social Care workers will not accept cuts that put jobs, staffing levels and vital public services at risk.
ENDS
Contact Details
For further information or interview requests, please contact:
Patrick Mulholland, Deputy General Secretary
Email:
Tel: 077 1079 1487
Notes to Editors
- NIPSA will formally notify Health and Social Care employers of its intention to ballot members for industrial action on Tuesday 12 October 2026.
- The ballot will open on 21 October 2026 and close in November 2026.
- The ballot follows consultation with members across Health and Social Care Trusts.
- NIPSA's Enough Is Enough campaign is focused on defending pay, jobs, staffing levels and public services across Health and Social Care: https://nipsa.org.uk/nipsa-in-action/nipsa-latest/1380-enough-is-enough-stop-the-cuts-to-health-and-social-care
