Health

140,000 cancelled operations and appointments: How badly have NHS strikes hit YOUR hospital?


Almost 140,000 ops and appointments have been cancelled because of NHS strikes this winter. 

Hospitals and patients have already endured over a dozen walk-outs since the chaos began at the start of December.

That toll includes the biggest ever strike to rock the ailing health service on February 6, involving tens of thousands of nurses and paramedics.

Nurses continued their protests for better pay the next day as part of a 48-hour row. 

Meanwhile, physiotherapists took to the picket lines today. And ambulance staff will strike again tomorrow, rounding off the busiest week of NHS walk-outs so far.

Almost 140,000 ops and appointments have been cancelled because of NHS strikes this winter. That toll includes the biggest ever strike to rock the ailing health service on February 6, involving tens of thousands of nurses and paramedics

Almost 140,000 ops and appointments have been cancelled because of NHS strikes this winter. That toll includes the biggest ever strike to rock the ailing health service on February 6, involving tens of thousands of nurses and paramedics

NHS nurses from the Royal College of Nursing form a picket line as they strike for safe staffing levels, fair pay and working conditions outside St Thomas Hospital, London on February 6

NHS nurses from the Royal College of Nursing form a picket line as they strike for safe staffing levels, fair pay and working conditions outside St Thomas Hospital, London on February 6 

Some 49,038 operations and appointments in total were rescheduled, following strike action on Monday and Tuesday. Pictured above, RCN members on the picket line outside St Thomas' Hospital in London on February 6

Some 49,038 operations and appointments in total were rescheduled, following strike action on Monday and Tuesday. Pictured above, RCN members on the picket line outside St Thomas’ Hospital in London on February 6 

Startling NHS figures laying bare the knock-on effects of the action so far have revealed that more than a third of all operations cancelled occurred on Monday and Tuesday alone. 

Some 49,038 operations and appointments in total were rescheduled across the two days. 

Of this, 7,303 were inpatient and day case elective procedures — which can include routine procedures like hip and knee replacements, which require an overnight stay in hospital. 

The majority (34,122) were outpatient appointments. This usually involves X-rays and minor procedures.

The rest of the cancellations were for community services appointments and mental health and learning disability appointments, NHS England said. 

However, the true disruption from this week’s NHS strikes will be higher than 49,000 because not every location taking part logged data. 

And it doesn’t take into account today’s strike by members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, or tomorrow’s by ambulance workers. 

It only looks at Monday and Tuesday, organised by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), GMB and Unite.   

Unions have warned that action will continue ‘for as long as it takes’, until the Government ‘does the decent thing’.

But ministers claimed patients’ lives would be put at risk due to delayed care and slower ambulance response times. 

Earlier this week, health leaders warned of ‘significant disruption’ due to the scale of the action on February 6, in particular. 

It was predicted up to 40,000 nurses, paramedics and emergency call handlers would walk out together. 

But just 16,000 workers were actually absent from work because of strike action, NHS England data shows.  

Most disruption was logged in the North East and Yorkshire, where 5,739 workers were reported as absent across the two days. 

Even more NHS strikes are on the way this week, with another round of industrial action penciled in for ambulance workers tomorrow

Even more NHS strikes are on the way this week, with another round of industrial action penciled in for ambulance workers tomorrow

This week's disruption has been organised by the unions the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), GMB, Unison and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. It is the busiest week of NHS walk-outs so far

This week’s disruption has been organised by the unions the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), GMB, Unison and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. It is the busiest week of NHS walk-outs so far

Many hospital services were exempt from strike action, including chemotherapy, emergency cancer services, dialysis, critical care units, neonatal and paediatric intensive care. 

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London recorded the largest level of disruption, the same data revealed. 

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Some 3,386 inpatient and outpatient appointments were re-scheduled across the two days. 

It was followed by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (2,546) and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (2,251).

Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust has been hit hardest by the disruption, with 6,152 appointments and operations postponed since NHS strikes began in December. 

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, meanwhile has seen 5,114 appointments or operations rescheduled.   

Despite the postponed appointments, recent polling showed that the majority of the public were in favour of strike action by nurses.

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive at NHS Providers said: ‘There are no winners in this situation.

‘Patients are being hit hard, trusts can’t deliver the care they want, and staff feel they have no choice but to join the picket lines. 

‘We cannot afford for industrial action to become the new normal in the NHS. 

‘Although trust leaders are incredibly adept at managing challenging situations, these prolonged strikes threaten to cause major long-term damage to the NHS, including hampering efforts and hard-won progress to tackle care backlogs. 

‘We’re also concerned that fewer ambulance journeys on strike days could mean fewer patients get the urgent care they need, when they need it, and demand intensifies.’ 

Startling NHS figures laying bare the knock-on effects of the action so far have revealed that more than a third of all operations cancelled occurred on Monday and Tuesday alone. Pictured above, Royal College of Nursing general secretary Pat Cullen on the picket line outside Great Ormond Street Hospital in London on February 6

Startling NHS figures laying bare the knock-on effects of the action so far have revealed that more than a third of all operations cancelled occurred on Monday and Tuesday alone. Pictured above, Royal College of Nursing general secretary Pat Cullen on the picket line outside Great Ormond Street Hospital in London on February 6

Ambulance workers on the picket line outside Gateshead Ambulance Station, Newcastle on February 6

Ambulance workers on the picket line outside Gateshead Ambulance Station, Newcastle on February 6

She added: ‘Trust leaders understand why staff are striking, and are doing all they can to ensure high-quality care for patients on those days, but the high number of postponed operations and appointments will continue to climb unless a resolution is found. 

‘We all know what needs to happen next. The Government must start talking to the unions, urgently, about pay for this financial year.’

The RCN is calling for an 18.4 per cent pay rise — based on the current rate of inflation. It would see the average nurses’ salary go from £37,000 to £43,800.

But the union said it would halt the current strike action if the Government meets with its representatives to discuss pay and it has suggested it would take a lower offer than its inflation-busting request. 

The Government has said its offer of around 4 per cent, or £1,400, is all it can afford. 

The deal, awarded last year, was backed by the NHS Pay Review Body. 

So far ministers have declined to negotiate NHS pay for the current financial year, instead saying they are focusing on discussions for the next pay round, due to start in April.

However, the Department of Health and Social Care last month revealed it had missed a critical date for submitting evidence to the NHS Pay Review Body which makes recommendations for the coming financial year.

HOW MANY APPOINTMENTS WERE CANCELLED ON FEBRUARY 6 AND 7 AT YOUR HOSPITAL DURING THE NHS STRIKES?
NHS Trust Inpatient (Feb 6)  Inpatient (Feb 7)  Outpatient (Feb 6)  Outpatient (Feb 7) 
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 160 156 754 827
East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust 120 101 287 264
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 53 61 271 244
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust 61 43 273 252
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
Barts Health NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Foundation Trust 27 30 272 318
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust 97 130 1,740 1,419
Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 156 168 461 427
King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 224 256 397 307
Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 78 69 321 393
The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust 2 2 114 118
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 232 263 954 798
Whittington Health NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust 6 10 53 2
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 21 17 125 136
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 136 116 999 1,000
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 10 13 7 11
The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 21 32 83 13
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust 180 185 1,096 1,085
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 91 103 580 502
Wye Valley NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 31 23 154 142
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 26 26 305 197
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 33 18
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 69 69 477 539
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust 1 0 0 0
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 77 58 2 22
Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust 25 10 10 15
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 82 37 191 157
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 40 38 108 129
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 129 79 864 784
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 37 42 320 80
Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust 14 9 319 400
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 3 0
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 187 135 178 116
East Cheshire NHS Trust No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust 10 0 23 0
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 13 4 0 0
Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 21 13 22 29
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 89 79 331 448
Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust 2 11 94 110
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust 4 0 32 0
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 66 103 438 438
Northern Care Alliance NHS Ft No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted
Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 35 34 33 43
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust 21 13 143 127
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust 2 5 5 25
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 58 83
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust 14 6 218 218
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust 17 23 227 208
Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 65 39 552 695
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust 50 20 98 95
Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 50 34 445 478
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Isle of Wight NHS Trust No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted
Medway NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 144 132 396 426
Portsmouth Hospitals University National Health Service Trust 48 41 38 36
Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 19 18 66 54
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust 51 42 19 44
Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted No data submitted
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 0 0 0 0
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust 40 55 256 211
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust 35 31 185 320
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 13 25 13 41
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 91 73 24 3
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 3 2 11 37
North Bristol NHS Trust 47 49 11 4
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust 97 107 607 596
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 90 94 265 397
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust 27 60 102 92
Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust 13 5 149 35
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust 55 58 62 84
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust 5 8 21 33
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust 51 39 323 360
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 301 264
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust 55 63 16 38
Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0
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