Responding to news that the government and Royal College of Nursing (RCN) have entered into talks on pay and terms of conditions, Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive at NHS Providers said:

"Trust leaders will be breathing a sigh of relief that the government and the RCN are finally coming round the table to talk about pay, and that the imminent nurses strikes are now on hold.

"The past weeks have seen a worrying escalation of industrial action, which has hit patients hard. Both sides being committed to finding a fair and reasonable settlement is the glimmer of hope we all needed

"For these talks to end in a resolution, any agreed settlement will need to pass a vote by RCN members. Hopefully, it can pave the way for similar negotiations with other unions planning strikes.

"We eagerly await the outcome and hope that further disruption to services can be averted, allowing NHS staff to continue delivering high-quality care, bearing down on backlogs and meeting elective targets."