Patient appointments will go ahead as usual on day of strike action

Patients booked to attend a hospital appointment at any one of the hospitals run by The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust on Monday 24 November 2014 are being advised to attend their appointment, for surgery or outpatient clinic, as normal unless they have been contacted directly by the Trust and advised of alternative arrangements.

The Trust, which runs North Manchester General Hospital, Fairfield General Hospital in Bury, The Royal Oldham Hospital and Rochdale Infirmary, is planning to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum for the third day of industrial action nationally by healthcare workers.

The proposed four hour strike by various trade unions will take place between 7am – 11am on Monday 24th November 2014. This will be followed by some unions ‘working to rule’ for the remainder of the week.

Emergency care, including A&E and emergency surgery, and cancer services will be unaffected and continue to be provided during the strike.

The Trust’s maternity services and labour wards will not be affected.

The Trust’s community services and planned routine visits by district nurses will also not be affected.

If any planned appointments have to be postponed or changed, patients will be informed directly by the Trust. The impact on patients was limited in the two previous strikes as unions had agreed to cover urgent and emergency care and contingency plans were put in place to limit disruption and avoid cancellations. A similar arrangement is also in place for this strike.

Hugh Mullen, director of operations at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We have plans in place to ensure we can continue to see and treat patients who are booked to attend appointments on Monday at our hospitals. We do not plan to cancel any patient appointments. The advice we are giving to our patients is that if you have an appointment and are planning to come in to any of our hospitals, please continue to attend unless you are contacted directly by the Trust. Our plans are place in ensure we protect the safety, welfare and service provided to patients. Emergency life-saving care will again be our priority; our A&E departments, our operating theatres and cancer services will be unaffected.”