Nurses strike Sheffield: Dozens of operations cancelled at city’s hospitals after 28-hour NHS walkout

Strikes by nurses and other NHS workers earlier this week caused more than 11,000 operations and appointments to be cancelled, new figures show.

The total number of procedures called off due to walkouts by healthcare workers has now exceeded half a million in the past six months, with deputy chief nurse Charlotte McArdle saying the latest round has “inevitably had a very significant impact for patients and staff”.

On April 30, a total of 205 NHS workers were absent from Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Health & Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, due to the walkout by the Royal College of Nursing and action taken by Unite members in Yorkshire Ambulance Service. A further 104 NHS staff were absent on Monday, May 1.

The industrial action saw more than 40 operations and appointments rescheduled at both Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust and Sheffield Children’s Trust, with 83 per cent of those appointments referring to the latter. A further 700 community appointments also had to be called off.

Prof McArdle said each round of industrial action is making it “more difficult for the NHS to tackle the backlog”.

She said: “Despite the extensive efforts of NHS staff to keep patients safe and limit disruption amid the loss of thousands of vital nursing staff, this weekend’s industrial action has inevitably had a very significant impact for patients and staff.

“Across the NHS we have now seen more than half a million appointments and procedures rescheduled over the last six months as a result of strikes from staff in a range of NHS roles – and with each strike, it is becoming harder.

“Our staff are doing all they possibly can to manage the disruption and deliver rescheduled appointments as quickly as possible, but there’s no doubt that each round of industrial action makes it more difficult for the NHS to tackle the backlog.”

The figures come just days after three unions threatened continued strike action until Christmas after rejecting the government’s 5% pay offer. Despite some of the unions rejecting the offer, the deal was voted in favour of after a majority backed it, and all staff will receive the salary increase and one-off payment.

RCN general secretary and chief executive Pat Cullen said: “Nursing is the largest part of the NHS workforce and they require an offer that matches their worth.

“Though the pay offer was not enough for our members, I have repeatedly said that the government’s approach should be to build upon it and that remains our position.”

Unite national lead officer Onay Kasab said: “Unite’s members are clear that the offer does not go far enough to stop the recruitment and retention crisis that is collapsing the NHS. In fact, the union’s decision to fight for an offer that does is driving a surge in new members.

“Fresh strike action will continue to be scheduled, alongside the opening of new industrial action ballots for those NHS workers who want to take a stand against the government’s despicable dismantling of our health service.”