The union said delaying a pay award until Parliament sits again in September would mean workers would not receive a wage hike until November.

Professor Nicola Ranger, acting general secretary and chief executive, made the call in her keynote speech at the RCN Congress in Newport, Wales, as she launched the College's General Election manifesto. 

Prof Ranger said: ‘Ministers must negotiate through the summer to get a deal done quickly. NHS workers deserve a fair award and it is unfair to keep them guessing. 

‘Whoever the prime minister and health secretary will be, we can meet and we will negotiate.

‘Long delays and disappointing awards would fail to move the debate on from the last two years.'

RCN members in the NHS in England are still formally in dispute over pay, terms and conditions since last year but have not been balloted for strike action in the last 12 months. 

The RCN is calling for a substantial pay rise for nursing staff. Its policy document also sets outs its position on seeking safety-critical staffing ratios, changes to immigration law to allow families to remain united, protections for staff raising concerns and an eradication of care in corridors and other inappropriate locations.