Patients whose surgeries were canceled due to health strikes said they continue to support nurses on strike despite the impact it has on their departure.
Nurses in Northern Ireland staged a 24-hour strike on Monday over wages and working conditions, while a coordinated strike among nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland scheduled for Thursday will affect dozens of British hospitals.
This measure is expected to affect all but the most critical departments, such as emergency departments and intensive care units.
While some patients took to social media to express their disappointment with the union’s actions, others said they supported the strikers and did not blame them for the disruption.
David Graham, who lives in Cumbria and is unable to work, said his surgery is scheduled for Thursday at Royal Victory Hospital in Newcastle. He was rescheduled for January 19 and was told at the hospital that it was because of the strike.
“[I’m] very upset. It’s a neck operation and I don’t get much sleep now,” he said.
But Graham, 52, said the incident did not change his view of the strikes, adding: “Nurses work very hard, all they need is a fair wage.”
Three-month-old Elijah was scheduled to undergo cleft lip surgery in Nottingham on Thursday, according to his mother Holly. However, she added that she was glad the nurses were able to take action.
Holly, 24, who works in the hospitality industry, said she was told her son’s surgery was being delayed due to strikes as it was not urgent. Although no new date has been set, she expects it to happen in the new year and feels some relief.
“During the operation last Monday, the surgeon told me that it could go ahead, but they weren’t sure which departments would be on strike, so it was almost a tentative date based on who would be free,” they said.
“Thursday afternoon I got a call from the Royal Medical Center for cleft lip and palate and was told it was cosmetic surgery and [as it] will not necessarily be “urgently” rescheduled for the new year.
“I’m glad in part because I didn’t want him to be too poor on his first Christmas, and as a first-time mother, it’s always a little daunting when your child gets surgery.”
Holly said she didn’t know there was a strike until her son told her about it during the meeting, but she supported the action.
“I’m glad they have a chance to strike because long hours are ridiculous for their pay,” she said. “I totally understand because Elijah’s cleft lip and palate doesn’t affect his diet or quality of life in any way and it’s just his lip and not his lips and palate which I think is usually the case when it comes to deals with children. with cracks.
“So we’re very lucky with our personal circumstances – and I won’t have a bad baby for Christmas, which is a good thing.”
Johnny Irvine, 38, said he was due to have urological surgery at Craigavon Area Hospital in Northern Ireland on Monday at 7am, but was told last Thursday that the surgery had been canceled due to a strike. Mr. Irwin said he did not blame the strikers.
“That’s what it is,” says Mr. Irwin, Quality Assurance Specialist. “Pay people decent wages and support the NHS and this won’t happen. The blame clearly lies with the Tories. This is my destiny.
Mr Irwin said hospital staff told him the cancellation was due to the strikes but was “very sorry” and hoped to delay it until January.
Professor Stephen Powys, medical director of NHS England, acknowledged that “our services are disrupted by the strike” and warned that this could hinder efforts to reduce the number of patients waiting for treatment after COVID-19.
Ambulance staff will leave on December 21 and 28, with the government considering using taxis to transport non-emergency patients to the hospital.
NHS England said ambulances could still respond to strike days but “this can only be where there is an immediate threat to life” and urged patients to only call 999 in an emergency.
The NHS also stressed that patients should not assume that their surgery will be canceled just because it falls on a strike day and that those affected will be contacted.
His advice to patients before the strike stated that “it is very important that patients requiring medical emergencies continue to call as usual, especially in emergencies and life-threatening cases.”
The Northern Ireland Department of Health said it “shares the disappointment of health care workers in Northern Ireland at the lack of pay this year” and “deeply regrets that many of them see strike action as necessary”.
He acknowledged that the health service was “planning for a very difficult winter period”, adding, “In regards to the strike, the Department and … trusts will work closely with unions to protect critical services as much as possible.”
“However, this will inevitably impact patient care and further disruptions to already busy services.”
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.