Critical care strikes at Royal Oldham Hospital next week

Critical care staff at Royal Oldham Hospital will walk out for 24 hours next Tuesday in their second strike this month, as a bitter dispute over overtime pay shows no signs of resolution. Nurses, clinical support workers, and housekeepers in the hospital's critical care units are protesting against the Northern Care Alliance's use of an external agency to manage overtime shifts, which they say slashes their pay by more than £10 per hour and strips away pension contributions.

The union UNISON claims staff are being forced to rely on food banks to make ends meet, with experienced workers leaving in droves because they can't afford to stay. During the last strike on March 12, workers told local reporters they were struggling to feed their families despite working life-saving shifts every day. The trust has refused to sit down for negotiations despite repeated requests from the union.

This isn't just about money-it's about whether Royal Oldham can keep its critical care units properly staffed. Workers say the nature of their jobs means most overtime shifts are filled by staff already based in those units, so cutting their pay doesn't just hurt individuals, it risks patient safety. The trust insists patient care remains their 'absolute priority' but admits they're working to minimise disruption during the strike.

With talks collapsed and no compromise in sight, Tuesday's strike could see delays and disruption to emergency and critical care services at the hospital. For residents of Oldham, this means longer waits in A&E and potential risks to loved ones needing urgent care. The question now is whether the trust will come to the table before more experienced staff walk out for good.