Liverpool Hospitals’ advice ahead of RCN strike and the bank holiday

Bank holidays are always busy periods and coupled with this, the NHS is planning for significant service disruption with the Royal College of Nursing industrial action scheduled to take place from 8pm on Sunday 30 April to midnight on 1 May.

Teams across the Trust will be working together to support safe patient care during the strike. Some members of nursing staff will still be working during the strike (as they may be members of a different union or may have chosen to continue to work) and other clinical staff will be present as usual.

Other medical staff, including doctors, physiotherapists and pharmacists will be deployed to help to provide routine care for patients. 

David Melia, Chief Nurse at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“To ensure we can provide patients with care that is as safe as possible, other medical colleagues will be s

upporting some of the roles and tasks usually carried out by nursing staff, where appropriate.

“We understand that this situation may be worrying if your loved one is in hospital at this time. We’re extending our visiting hours on the wards for those who may wish to spend more time with their loved ones to help keep them company. We also ask that if your relative or friend is due to be discharged from hospital, please do whatever you can to support this as soon as possible. This will help our teams to make a hospital bed available for someone who may need our specialist care.”

Patients will be contacted directly if their appointment needs to be rescheduled. Please attend your appointments unless advised otherwise.

David Melia adds:

“The public’s support during previous periods of industrial action has been invaluable and we are immensely grateful to them for continuing to use NHS services appropriately during these times of pressure.

“Urgent and emergency care services will be open over the bank holiday and the industrial action period and people should call 999 or attend accident and emergency services in the event of a life or limb threatening emergency.

“If you need medical help or advice, or you are unsure about whether you should go to hospital, go to NHS 111 online unless it is a life-threatening emergency when you should still call 999.”

For more information on the NHS strike click here. For all the latest news in Liverpool click here.