Mental health workers on strike

Pickets were held outside trust headquarters

About 700 mental health workers are on strike in Manchester in protest at the suspension of a shop steward.

The three-day walkout has led to some psychiatric patients being moved to centres up to 100 miles away, while others have been sent home.

Unison said it was shocked at the move but Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust said it had no alternative.

Karen Reissmann, a psychiatric nurse, was suspended in June for allegedly bringing the trust into disrepute.

Unison claims she is being targeted because she is a shop steward and has spoken out against cuts in services.

We will continue to monitor the situation and respond and change arrangements if necessary. Sheila Foley, chief executive

The union claimed 60 psychiatric patients at North Manchester General Hospital had been moved to private facilities.

Although it did not give exact figures, the trust said patients were moved to Alpha Care in Bury and to Affinity Health Care in Darlington.

Sandra Corrigan, one of the nurses on strike, said: "None of them were happy about going, some of them were shouting and screaming out of the taxi windows as they were driven away."

But the trust said those patients that had been moved were settling in well, while 32 were clinically assessed to be fit enough to go home for a short period of leave.

Patient safety

Despite the industrial action, about half of the trust's staff reported for work on Wednesday and 14 out of 17 wards remain operational.

Chief Executive Sheila Foley said care and safety of patients was the trust's priority.

"During our visits around the trust today, we observed that patients were being well cared for and are extremely grateful for the hard work and dedication of staff under challenging circumstances," she said.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and respond and change arrangements if necessary."