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11
Oct 2023
Harrogate hospital postpones 41 operations due to strikes
Harrogate District Hospital postponed 41 operations as a result of last week’s consultants and junior doctors strikes.
Members of the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association and British Medical Association walked out from 7am on Monday, October 2, until 7am on Thursday, October 5.
Both junior doctors and consultants held the industrial action in a dispute over pay and conditions.
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust confirmed 41 outpatient appointments were cancelled across a range of hospital services due to the walkout last week.
A spokesperson for the trust added:
The trust confirmed that internal and bank staff were used to cover the strikes.
Bank staff are temporary workers who agree to work flexible shifts with a hospital trust. Some trusts keep a record of their own bank staff to call upon for shifts.
However, a trust spokesperson added that a total figure for the cost of staffing will not be available until the end of the month.
It comes as Harrogate hospital has been hit by numerous strike action this past year.
Between April 1 and August 31, junior doctors and consultants have staged multiple walkouts with some lasting as long as 48 hours.
The Stray Ferret reported last month that the trust spent £923,000 on staff cover for industrial action in the same time period.
Read more:
- Harrogate hospital roof contains crumbling concrete
- Harrogate hospital spends nearly £1 million on staff cover for strikes
- Concern over number of York ambulances diverted to Harrogate hospital
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