Hospital strike won’t affect appointments

PATIENTS with local hospital radiology appointments should attend appointments on Monday - despite a planned four-hour strike.

The trust, which runs the Royal Oldham Hospital, North Manchester General Hospital, Fairfield General Hospital in Bury and Rochdale Infirmary, hopes to keep disruption to a minimum.

The proposed strike by the Society of Radiographers will hit between 9am-1pm. Patients are being asked to attend X-ray, MRI or CT scan appointments as normal unless they have been told directly their arrangements have changed. Emergency care and cancer services will continue to be provided during the stoppage.

Hugh Mullen, director of operations at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We have plans in place. We don’t plan to cancel any appointments.”

Last Monday, 244 staff employed by the trust (out of 9,000 staff) took part in industrial action for all or part of the morning. This included some nurses and midwives, estates staff and medical secretaries and clerical staff.


NORTH-West ambulance staff say the continuing pay dispute is having a detrimental knock-on effect for patients.

Following Monday’s four-hour strike, staff are continuing with industrial action in the form of an overtime ban, meaning some ambulances will be unable to get out due to not having enough crews.

Director of operations, Derek Cartwright, said: “Patients see the real impact when we don’t have enough ambulances on the road. This leads to delays in reaching those who need emergency care.”