NHS workers in Bournemouth and Poole joined colleagues for national strike action yesterday, in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Eleven unions took part in the four-hour stoppage and at Poole Hospital a picket line was manned by members of Unison, the Royal College of Midwifery, and the Society of Radiographers.

Health workers, supporting their second strike in a month, say they’re angry the government has failed to guarantee a one per cent pay rise for all staff.

However, the Department of Health says it cannot afford the rise without risking frontline jobs.

The stoppage took place between 7am and 11am, and for the rest of this week staff will work to rule.

Unison area organiser Janine Miller, speaking to the Daily Echo from the picket line outside Poole Hospital, said: “We are supporting all the workers in the NHS because the government refuses to give them the one per cent pay award that was recommended by the independent pay review body.

“We feel this it is desperately unfair that the government has not taken this recommendation onboard, whereas MPs did take onboard their own pay review body which said they should get an 11 per cent rise.

“We are not asking for the Earth, it is basically a below inflation pay rise.”

While the Echo was outside the hospital, scores of passing drivers blasted their horns in support of the health workers.

Senior radiographer Claire West said: “It is important the public is on our side, it is important that they support us.

“But we are having to do this, we feel we simply have no choice. It is also important to understand our argument is with the government not Poole Hospital, which has some great people working there.”

Hospital switchboard operator Beryl Weston, who also joined the walkout, said her colleagues were “sick of not getting any pay rise.”

Mrs Miller said: “It feels like a kick in the teeth, especially as everyone is working harder through a lack of staffing and vacancies not being filled.”