09/12/2022
Industrial Action will take place on Monday 12 December for NIPSA, UNISON and GMB trade union members. This will have impact on the provision of some hospital and community health and social care services across the Western Trust area.
Impact is as follows:
- 625 new, routine and review outpatient appointments have been postponed across Altnagelvin Hospital, Omagh Primary Care and Treatment Centre and South West Acute Hospital. Where possible new appointments have already been allocated or will be allocated shortly via letter.
- 47 inpatient and daycase procedures postponded across our hospitals.
- The following Older People’s Day Centres will be closed:
- Dromore Day Centre(outreach service)
- Foyleville Day Centre.
- The following Learning Disability Day Centres will be closed:
- Omagh Centre
- Glenside Day Centre
- Oaktree Day Centre
- Valley Day Centre.
- The following adult mental health day centres will be affected:
- Melrose Day Centre (closed between 8 am and 12 noon)
- Arden Day Centre (closed between 8 am and 12 noon)
- Creggan Day Centre (closed all day).
- Drumcoo Physical and Sensory Disability Day Centre will be closed.
- We are aware that some service users in receipt of homecare may not receive their scheduled morning call, between the hours of 8am and 12 noon, if it is delivered by the Western Trust. We are asking for the help of family members and carers to assist us during these times by checking in with their relatives / neighbours that receive homecare services. Should an issue arise please call the local Home Care office on the following numbers: Northern Sector (Derry, Limavady, Dungiven) – (028) 7186 4385; Fermanagh (028) 6634 2414 or Strabane Castlederg and Omagh (028) 8283 5911. Homecare delivered by our contracted providers are not expected to be affected.
- There will be limited catering facilities. Patient and client meals will be prioritised but this may include lighter options. Coffee shops in our hospitals will be closed. It is planned that restaurants will remain open but with a reduced service.
- There may be delays in answering calls by our hospital and health centre switchboards. It is advised to only call if your query or request is essential. Our hospital helpdesks may also operate a reduced service.
We are currently in the process of making direct contact with our patients and service users, who will be impacted by the strike action. If you have not been contacted please assume that your care will proceed as planned. We sincerely regret this disruption and would ask for cooperation and patience at this challenging time.
Information to advise of any potential disruption will be provided here and updated regularly. We will also post relevant Information on Trust social media channels. Please note that if you have a pre-booked appointment you should attend unless we contact you to say that it has been cancelled.
Current Planned Industrial Action
Monday 5 December to Sunday 11 December 2022
Unison, NIPSA and GMB will take action short of strike
Monday 12 December 2022
Unison, NIPSA and GMB will take full strike action
Unison, NIPSA and GMB will take action short of strike
Monday 12 December to Sunday 18 December 2022
NIPSA will take action short of strike
Thursday 15 December 2022
RCN will take full strike action
Monday 19 December 2022
Unison and NIPSA will take action short of strike
Tuesday 20 December 2022
RCN will take full strike action
Tuesday 20 December to Sunday 1 January 2023
NIPSA will take action short of strike