Update on industrial action
19 December 2022
This article is from Monday 19 December 2022 - the situation may change with time.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has announced that industrial action will take place at NHS trusts across England on Tuesday 20 December 2022, including at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH). This follows industrial action taken on Thursday 15 December.
We will continue to provide the following services, some of which may be at a reduced level:
- Emergency care – including our Emergency Departments (A&E) at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford and at the Horton General Hospital in Banbury), same day emergency care and emergency surgery
- Critical care
- Chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment for cancer patients
- Renal dialysis
- Inpatient care
- Urgent diagnostic procedures and other time critical services
- Activity that does not require nursing support.
To help us safely manage the impact of industrial action, some routine and non-urgent appointments and procedures across our four hospitals in Oxford and Banbury on 20 December have been rescheduled. All patients affected should have already been contacted.
If you have not heard from us, please come to your procedure or appointment as planned.
Some patients with routine and non-urgent outpatient clinic appointments will be offered, depending on clinical need, a phone or video consultation should a face-to-face appointment not be possible.
Emergency Departments are for genuine emergencies. If you need medical help but it's not urgent, then your local Pharmacy, Minor Injuries Unit or GP will be best-placed to help. If unsure where to get support, contact NHS 111 who can provide advice and direct you to the best place for the care you need.
Sara Randall, Chief Operating Officer at OUH, said: "We recognise and respect the right of our staff to take part in lawful industrial action, and have been working with our staff and union partners to minimise the impact on patients, visitors, and staff.
"We have tried-and-tested plans in place to deal with any changes to our services such as industrial action, and this is especially the case following our work during last week’s industrial action. As always, our priority is to continue to provide safe care for our patients, and anyone with a rescheduled appointment will be rebooked in for the soonest time possible.
"Thank you for your understanding."
