Hospital prepared for strike action...

Royal Oldham Hospital: if you are due to attend on Thursday, keep your appointment unless told otherwise.

...but keep your appointments

PATIENTS are being advised to attend hospital appointments as usual on Thursday - despite a planned strike by health workers.

The industrial action is over the Government’s refusal to pay a recommended one per cent wage rise to all NHS staff.

But the strike isn’t expected to affect urgent NHS services or scheduled appointments at local hospitals - unless they are told directly that the appointment has been postponed.

The trust, which runs the Royal Oldham, Rochdale Infirmary, North Manchester and Fairfield in Bury, is planning to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum during the strike action.

Ambulance members of the GMB union are set to strike for 24 hours from midnight on Thursday, while other health workers will take action for 12 hours from midday. Members of Unison and Unite are also planning to go on strike on the same day.