Patient safety top priority during strike action

Patients scheduled to be seen as an outpatient that day should come to the Trust’s hospitals – Scunthorpe, Grimsby and Goole – as normal unless they are contacted.

Our emergency care centres (A&E), theatres, hyperacute stroke unit, high dependency unit, intensive care units and oncology services will all be running as normal.

Wendy Booth, head of performance assurance, said: “Plans are in place ahead of the national strike next week to ensure disruption to our patients is kept to a minimum. Maintaining the safety of patients is our top priority.

“We have been negotiating with the unions to secure some exemptions to the strike - areas where we care for our most high risk patients.”

Strike action is taking place on Monday October 13 between 7am and 11am. Patients should be aware of the following:

· All emergency patients will continue to be treated

· Existing inpatients will continue to be treated

· Some elective operations may be cancelled - patients will be notified

· Patients undergoing treatment for cancer will continue to receive treatment.

Wendy said: “At this stage we are unsure exactly what effect the strike action may have, but are planning to ensure that patients needing treatment during the period will be seen and treated appropriately, and that patients already staying with us continue to receive the quality treatment they expect and deserve.

“Patients who do not hear from us and have appointments for that day should attend as usual.”

Any patient who has any concerns on the day itself should contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service on either 01472 875403 or 01724 290132.”