Update on industrial action at OUH

This article was updated on Friday 28 April 2023 - the situation may change with time.

 The Royal College of Nurses (RCN) is taking industrial action at NHS trusts across England, including Oxford University Hospitals (OUH), from 8pm on Sunday 30 April to 11.59pm on Monday 1 May.

 We will continue to provide urgent and emergency care wherever possible but have had to reschedule some appointments and elective (planned) inpatient and day case procedures to ensure patient safety.

To help us safely manage the impact of industrial action, some routine and non-urgent appointments and procedures, day surgery and some elective (planned) surgery across our four hospitals in Oxford and Banbury have been rescheduled.

Some appointments before and after the days of industrial action may also be affected.

All patients impacted are being contacted directly. We never take this decision lightly and are very sorry for the inconvenience to you, our patients.  

It is very regrettable that we have to report that our staff have been verbally abused when contacting some patients to postpone their appointments. We fully understand and appreciate how disappointing and frustrating any postponement is, and we only do this if we absolutely have to in order to provide safe care for all our patients. 

Our staff are doing their best in challenging circumstances to make sure you are informed as soon as possible. We do not tolerate abuse of our staff and abuse will be noted and further action may be taken.

If you have not heard from us by the day of your appointment, please come to your procedure or appointment as planned.

We are doing everything possible to prioritise patients with the highest clinical needs.

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 ensure the safety of our patients, and the wellbeing of our staff.

"We hope that everyone is able to enjoy the May Bank Holiday weekend and then May Morning, but we are asking people to be particularly mindful of the fact that our services will be additionally stretched during this time, and to enjoy themselves responsibly.

"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."