CLAIMS by union leaders that Monday's NHS strike in Somerset had “rock solid support” were dismissed by hospital bosses.

Pickets were manned at hospitals across the South-West including Musgrove Park in Taunton, Yeovil District, Summerlands in Yeovil, and Bridgwater, in a dispute over pay.

The NHS is offering a 1% pay rise to staff, except those who will already receive incremental increases.

The offer has been rejected by unions.

Nurses, midwives and ambulance staff were among those who took part in the four-hour action which is being followed by six days of work to rule.

Unison South West regional secretary, Joanne Kaye, said services were affected in every major hospital and ambulance station in the region.

She added: “It is irresponsible of the Government to not even try to resolve this dispute. Their behaviour is in danger of putting patients and the public at risk.”

The South West Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said before the strike started that there would be a “reduction” of available staff during the four-hour stoppage.

However, hospital bosses claimed the industrial action had little effect on its staff or services.

A Musgrove Park spokesman said: “Taunton's Musgrove Park Hospital would like to reassure patients that there was no significant impact or effect on the hospital during the planned industrial strike action.

“All services ran as planned and all essential services were fully staffed and unaffected. “There were no cancellations of routine activity and no impact on bed levels or outpatient services.”

A spokesman for Bridgwater Community Hospital added: “A very small number of our staff members took part in industrial action.

“Patient care was not interrupted, planned appointments and procedures went ahead and the Minor Injury Units and other urgent services were unaffected.

“As with any period of industrial action, our over-riding objective is to ensure that services to our patients continue to be delivered safely and consistently both in hospitals and in the community.”

Rehana Azam, GMB National Officer for the NHS, said: "Reports from across the country are that the second wave of strike action by GMB members has been rock solid.

“Members not on shift during the four-hour stoppage stood in solidarity and supported the picket lines in huge numbers.

“The response is a testament to how NHS staff feel about the injustice in the pay offer. GMB members are determined to get Government to listen.

“The numbers of unions taking part in this week strike has also increased.

Dave Prentis, General Secretary of Unison, said: "We want to get over a message to the public about what is happening and to get the message to the government about the importance of our members providing our health services.

"An independent pay review body that looks at public service workers recommended a 1% increase in line with the government's own pay policy.

“But the Secretary of State reneged on it. The effect on morale has been absolutely dreadful. “They feel they are not wanted, they have had no pay increase for four years and now an independent body has been ignored.”

A Department of Health spokesman said: "NHS staff are our greatest asset and we want to make the current pay system fairer - which is why we have put forward proposals that would guarantee all staff would get at least a 1% pay rise this year and next, but these have been rejected by the unions.

“We have taken tough decisions to increase the NHS budget, but we can't afford a consolidated pay rise in addition to increments without risking 10,000 frontline jobs."