The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) has declared a critical incident as more than 350 members of staff prepare to walk out at four Greater Manchester hospitals over three days next week.
What the declaration means
The trust said the move was intended to secure additional support and resources so it can continue to provide essential urgent and emergency services while the industrial action takes place. It warned, however, that some planned operations and treatments will have to be delayed.
- Who is striking: more than 350 workers represented in the dispute.
- Where: Salford Royal Hospital, Royal Oldham Hospital, Rochdale Infirmary and Fairfield Hospital in Bury.
- When: strike days on Monday, Wednesday and Friday next week.
The trust apologised to patients for the disruption and said people affected by changes to surgery, treatment or appointments would be contacted directly. It added that patients should not phone their hospital to check on arrangements.
"Patients did not need to call to check."
Local services and immediate impact
Manchester and the wider Greater Manchester area rely on the NCA for a wide range of acute services. The trust stressed that urgent surgery would be prioritised during the industrial action, but acknowledged that a number of non-urgent procedures would be postponed.
For patients facing delayed appointments or cancelled operations, the trust said it would make direct contact. Staff and unions have repeatedly warned that postponements are inevitable when key teams are unavailable. The NCA’s declaration is designed to bring in extra help and co-ordinate rerouting of patients and resources across the trust’s hospitals.
Background to the dispute
The planned strikes are part of a continuing disagreement over pay for staff who cover shortages. Unison, which represents many of the workers involved, said it remained willing to negotiate with the trust. The dispute follows a series of walkouts earlier in the year; the trust said four strikes took place in June.
| Hospital | Impact |
|---|---|
| Salford Royal Hospital | Planned procedures may be postponed; urgent care prioritised |
| Royal Oldham Hospital | As above |
| Rochdale Infirmary | As above |
| Fairfield Hospital, Bury | As above |
The trust said it was deploying contingency plans to protect the most urgent services. That will include cancelling some elective operations and bringing in additional staff or reassigning teams where possible, though it did not spell out the scale of expected cancellations.
What patients in Manchester should do
Patients with upcoming appointments or procedures at the affected hospitals should expect contact from the trust if their care is altered. The trust has asked the public not to call hospitals to seek confirmation, to keep phone lines open for those needing urgent assistance.
Local GPs and community services may also see knock-on effects as hospitals adjust lists and urgent cases are prioritised. Anyone with a life‑threatening condition should continue to call 999 or attend A&E as appropriate.
The declaration underlines continuing pressure on Greater Manchester’s hospital services as staff and management attempt to resolve disputes over pay and working arrangements. Unison’s statement that it remains open to talks suggests there is a path to negotiation, but the trust’s action indicates leaders expect disruption next week and are attempting to limit harm to the most critical patients.
The NCA said those affected by changes would be contacted directly; patients needing urgent information should use emergency services rather than calling hospitals for routine updates.
