Strike could cancel hospital ops

Operations at hospitals in Newcastle could be cancelled

Patients could be turned away from hospitals in Newcastle because of a planned strike by hundreds of workers, health officials have warned.

About 550 porters, cleaners, catering staff and laundry workers at hospitals across the city are due to ban overtime from Friday and to strike on Monday.

Members of the union Unison are angry that new staff are being paid more than existing workers.

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust has said the action could halt operations.

The union is angry at a nationally imposed pay deal, which means new staff are paid more than existing workers for doing the same job.

Any action would cover workers at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, Freeman and General hospital sites.

'Extremely disappointing'

Trust management insist they are following national guidelines in respect of the government's Agenda for Change, which was signed by Unison.

A meeting between managers and union officials was due to take place on Wednesday.

But trust chief executive Len Fenwick said: "We are very concerned because these are key staff and we are a very busy set of hospitals.

"If you begin this kind of disruption, there will clearly be a knock-on effect for patient care. It is extremely disappointing."

Mr Fenwick said there was "every risk" of patients being turned away and operations at all sites being cancelled.

But he added: "We are determined to do as much as we can to work as normally as possible."