National Strike 29 January

The national day of industrial action by a number of health trade unions planned for Thursday 29 January is not expected to affect urgent NHS services or scheduled patient appointments booked at any one of the hospitals run by The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Patients are being advised to attend their appointments for day or overnight surgery and outpatient clinics as normal unless they have been contacted directly by the Trust and advised of alternative arrangements.

The Trust, which runs North Manchester and Fairfield General Hospitals, The Royal Oldham Hospital and Rochdale Infirmary, is planning to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum during the strike action.

Doctors and nurses are not taking action as The British Medical Association (BMA) and The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) have not opted to strike.

Emergency care, including A&E and emergency surgery, will be unaffected and these services will continue to be provided during the strike. The public, however, are being urged to think carefully before coming to A&E and to consider using the wide range of alternative healthcare services available in the community, including GP surgeries, pharmacies and the NHS 111 service, unless they are very seriously unwell or have been involved in an accident.

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

The Trust management will implement contingency plans if necessary so that services can continue to be provided to patients as normal. The Trust management has worked closely with the unions to ensure that services which involve emergency and critical care are not affected.