Nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have started a nationwide strike this morning.

Staff from the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust, Cornwall Partnership Foundation Trust and South West Ambulance Service all voted to be part of the industrial action.

Cornwall will not be involved in the initial two strike days, today and December 20. The union, the Royal College of Nursing, says the county is part of "phase two" of the action.

However, the RCN has confirmed nurses at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, where many patients from Cornwall are cared for, will take part in the industrial action.

Staff will continue to provide "life-preserving" and some urgent care but routine surgery and other planned treatment is likely to be disrupted.

The University Hospitals Plymouth NHS trust, responsible for Derriford, said it is committed to minimising disruption to services on strike days and has measures in place to ensure the safety of patients and staff

The Royal College of Nursing said staff had been given no choice after ministers refused to re-open pay talks. The government said the RCN's 19% pay rise demand was unaffordable.

Advice has been issued for people during the action:

People who are seriously ill or injured, and whose life is at risk, should call 999 as usual, or call 111 for non-urgent care.

Other services, such as some cancer treatments, mental health services or urgent testing, may be partially staffed.

More routine care is likely to be badly affected, including planned operations such as knee and hip replacements, community nursing services and health visiting.

Official advice is that anyone with an appointment which hasn't already been rearranged should turn up at their allotted time.

GPs, community pharmacies and dentists will not be affected.