X ray department only victim of NHS strike

NHS SHETLAND believe the Gilbert Bain Hospital’s X-ray department will be the only part of the local health service to be seriously affected by next week’s nationwide day of action by public sector workers.

While most schools will close on 30 November as teachers walk out in protest at government plans for public sector pensions, Gilbert Bain Hospital and other health facilities will remain open.

All hospital, GP, dental, and community services are planning to provide their normal range of services with few exceptions. Emergencies will be dealt with by the normal level of staff both day and night.

However people who are due to receive an X-ray on 30 November have been asked not to attend, as only emergencies will be dealt with on the day of action.

NHS Shetland has fewer union members than many other health boards, with most nurses being signed up to the Royal College of Nursing, who have not balloted on industrial action, rather than Unison, who are striking.

Chief executive Ralph Roberts said: “We are hoping to be able to run a normal service on 30 November. We appreciate there may be limited disruption on the day, and at the moment it looks like we will only be running emergency X-rays.”