The threat of months of nurses' strikes has ended after a union failed to meet strict turnout rules.
Only 43.4% of Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members voted in the ballot to extend the strike mandate for another six months - below the legal threshold of 50% for industrial action.
Tens of thousands of NHS staff have staged rolling walkouts since December last year in protest over the Government's pay offer.
More than 100,000 RCN members - around 84% of those who did vote - backed strike action, the union said.
The news leaves junior doctors isolated as they continue their campaign for wage hikes with a five-day walk out next month.
In an email to members, RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: “To every one of you who took part, whether by voting or encouraging others to, thank you. We have so much to be proud of.
“While the vast majority of members who returned their ballot papers voted in favour of strike action, we did not meet the 50% turnout threshold necessary for us to be able to take further strike action.
“While this will be disappointing for many of you, the fight for the fair pay and safe staffing that our profession, our patients, and our NHS deserves, is far from over.
“This week, the government will say it has a plan for the NHS workforce. I am seeing the Prime Minister this afternoon to hear him out and to ask him the questions you wanted answering on his commitment to nurses and support workers.
“I know staff morale is low and the staffing crisis is set to worsen without immediate action. I will be telling him this today.
“We have started something special - the voice of nursing has never been stronger and we’re going to keep using it.”
NHS workers have been granted a 5% pay rise after the majority of health unions accepted the offer.
The decision led to a split within the NHS Staff Council, made up of unions representing health workers, as the RCN and Unite spurned the deal.
Junior doctors are continuing their battle with the Department of Health as part of a separate dispute over pay.
Medics in England will strike for five days from July 13 to July 18 in what is thought to be the longest walkout in the history of the NHS, the British Medical Association announced today.
A Department of Health spokesperson said: “We hugely value the work of nurses and welcome the end to hugely disruptive industrial action so staff can continue caring for patients and cutting waiting lists.
“More than 1 million eligible NHS staff are receiving their pay rise and one-off payments this month, with an experienced nurse receiving over £5,100 in extra pay across last year and this year. We are committed to supporting nurses to continue to progress and develop, including as part of the upcoming NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.
“We hope other unions who remain in dispute with the government recognise it is time to stop industrial action and move forward together.”
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