Key services to be protected during nurses strike, Manx Care says

Strike action is planned for 12 hours on Thursday

Key services will stay "open as planned" during nursing strikes over pay and conditions, Manx Care has said.

Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members are set to walkout for 12 hours from 08:00 BST on Thursday.

The care body said it recognised the closure of some services would have a "huge impact" on many patients but "difficult decisions" had to be made.

A spokeswoman said low staffing levels could also result in some "unavoidable last-minute closures".

During the planned action, around 290 face-to-face outpatient appointments have had to be rescheduled, all elective theatre sessions have been cancelled and the minor injuries unit in Ramsey will close for the day.

Termination appointments will not be available and the vaccination programme will pause for the day.

CEO Teresa Cope said while the body would "respect and support" members' right to strike, decisions to close services and cancel appointments in the period had "not been taken lightly".

RCN members are set to take strike action for a second time on Thursday

RCN nurses are set to take a second round of action after branding Manx Care's latest 6% pay offer "an insult".

The island's health care provider has said it remains open to dialogue with the union, but options remained limited due to financial constraints.

Any further pay offers were "not possible" and would be "in breach of our financial regulations" due to a predicted £27m overspend, the spokeswoman said.

During the action Noble's Hospital, the emergency department, the oncology day unit, critical care provision, urgent cancer services, inpatient services, and the emergency surgery unit will continue to operate.

The mental health crisis team and inpatient mental health services will operate as normal, but some outpatient appointments have been rescheduled.

Routine appointments at the maternity unit will also be maintained, and the island's GP practices will be unaffected by the action.

Further walkouts have been confirmed by the union for 18 and 19 October.

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