Nurses must wait on shifts verdict

CHANGES to shift patterns — which would have seen nurses at the Royal Oldham Hospital work on their days off — have been put on hold.

In September, staff of Pennine Acute Trust were angered over management plans to standardise shifts from January 1. This would shorten working days but force staff to make hours up on days off.

The trust, which runs hospitals in Oldham, Rochdale, Bury and North Manchester, said their proposals would result in fewer changes of personnel during the day, fewer and shorter handovers between staff and the use of fewer temporary workers. It would also save the trust £1.49million a year, though denied it was simply a money-saving measure.

The proposals are now on hold, following a three-month consultation process. The Chronicle understands changes will not happen until the start of the next financial year in April.

Janine Dyson, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) regional officer, said negotiations were still taking place with trust management. She added: “We’re delighted the trust is continuing negotiations to come up with options good for staff and patients. “They are taking us seriously. It has helped that staff responded to the consultation and that local reps have been very busy putting together a business case showing better ways of saving money.”

A trust spokesman described the consultation as “very useful and positive” but said it remained committed to standardising shifts.