Today sees an unprecedented day of strike action by healthcare workers across Northern Ireland.

This is a situation that has been forced upon them as they rightly pursue parity of pay with colleagues across the NHS and seek safe staffing levels.

All five main parties in Northern Ireland are collectively to blame. The Northern Ireland Executive broke pay parity in 2014 – a decision subsequently confirmed by successive health minsters.

Breaking point

The media and others claim that strike action puts patents at risk. The stark reality is that patients are already at risk and staff and services are at breaking point.

How much this is a crisis manufactured to pave the way for further privatisation of health and social care is an interesting question.

What is clear, however, is that the main political parties will continue to abdicate their responsibilities and offset the blame for as long as they refuse to reform the Executive. They should go back to Stormont today.

Important

Nothing is more important than the health and well-being of citizens and the safe delivery of a public health and social care service.

Supporting the striking health care workers and their demands for pay party and safe staffing levels is a demonstration of support for the NHS.