Nurses strike Sheffield: Hallamshire Hospital minor injuries unit closed as RCN action bites

Health bosses are preparing for national industrial action by the Royal College of Nursing to hit Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust hospitals on Wednesday, January 18 and Thursday, January 19.

And the Trust has confirmed a conspicious consequence is the closure for two days of the minor injuries unit, a facility that Sheffield residents have in the past fought to save from closure.

Elsewhere, patients are being told to attend appointments unless they have been told otherwise.

Royal College of Nursing action Sheffield

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals said in a statement sent to The Star: “Careful planning for the action has been undertaken and patients who have either a hospital or community health service appointment or procedure booked on either of the two days should attend as planned unless contacted by the Trust.

“We are continuing to provide essential community nursing services and any patients whose normal arrangements need to change have been notified.

“Emergency and maternity care is not impacted by the action, however the Minor Injuries Unit at the Hallamshire Hospital, which is nurse led, will need to be closed on Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th January. If you require advice or treatment for a minor injury during this closure, please call 111, speak to your GP or local pharmacy or visit https://sheffieldurgentcare.co.uk/. Please do not visit A&E unless it is a genuine emergency.”

Visiting times at all the Trust’s hospitals are not affected and relatives and carers are welcome to attend as normal on both days.

Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation

Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation says it will also be affected by the action, but services would still be running.

Nurses from the Trust will be striking but it is still running its services. Patients are being told to continue to come forward as normal if they need urgent medical care, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases. If they need medical help or advice, they should go to NHS 111 online unless it is a life-threatening emergency when they should still call 999.

Again, patients should attend appointment as planned unless they have been contacted and told otherwise.

Salli Midgley, director of nursing at Sheffield Health and Social Care, said: “Over the next two days many of our nurses will be striking. We’ve been working with the RCN and our nursing family so our nurses can strike, and our service users are safe.

NHS picket lines

“We want to make sure that we support our nurses to strike and go to the picket lines if they choose to do so. Like many of them, I want to see a resolution as soon as possible to the strikes. Ultimately pay is a matter for the Government and the trade unions.

“The NHS remains open. At Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, we are open for business too. If you are in a mental health crisis, please make sure you get the help you need. If you have an appointment with us, I am asking you to still attend unless we have contacted you to rearrange it.”