Oxfordshire hospitals 'extremely challenged' by strike

Patient care at the John Radcliffe Hospital (JR) in Oxford and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury "may be compromised", senior NHS figures have said, after junior doctors walked out on the longest strike in the health service's history. 

The six-day strike, which started yesterday (Wednesday, January 3) and ends on Tuesday, has left the hospitals understaffed and under pressure.

READ MORE: 'They are scaring patients': Strikes to impact overstretched hospitals

Junior doctors and members of the BMA outside St Thomas' Hospital, London, as they take to picket lines for six days (Image: PA)

The JR and Horton hospitals were moved into  “operation pressure escalation level four” yesterday afternoon.

This means "pressure at the hospitals is at a point where patient care and safety may be compromised", according to the Oxford University Hospitals trust, which runs the county’s four largest hospitals.

Staff were informed about the change yesterday via a joint email from the trust's chief operation officer Sara Randall, interim chief nursing officer Paula Gardner, and chief medical officer Andrew Brent.

🚨 BREAKING: @OUHospitals declared an incident this afternoon telling staff "pressure at the hospitals is at a point where patient care and safety may be compromised" pic.twitter.com/HhZnmekQR2

— Shaun Lintern (@ShaunLintern) January 3, 2024

They blamed reasons including the junior doctors’ strike, which has seen some surgeries and appointments rescheduled at the trust’s hospitals.

The John Radcliffe in Oxford is facing significant pressure at the moment (Image: Oxford Mail)

The Horton General Hospital in Banbury has also been impacted by the strikes (Image: Oxford Mail)

The email also pointed to increased attendance at accident and emergency departments, staff shortages, and reduced patient flow out of hospitals.

Staff at the John Radcliffe and Horton were urged to ease pressure by discharging patients where “safe and appropriate”.

The trust said it was “reviewing elective patients” at the two hospitals and would consider postponements “on a case-by case basis”.

It described the situation as “extremely challenging”.

Hospitals and medical services across the country have been impacted by the junior doctors’ strike.

It follows the breakdown of pay talks last month between the government and British Medical Association (BMA), the doctors' union.

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In Oxfordshire, the strikes have seen some routine and non-urgent appointments and procedures, day surgery, and some elective surgery, rescheduled.

Conservative MP Robert Courts blamed the BMA for the strike action (Image: Oxford Mail)

Layla Moran criticised the government for its failed negotiations with the doctors' union

Robert Courts, Conservative MP for Witney and West Oxfordshire, warned the strikes would create “fear and anxiety” for patients.

But Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, blamed the Government for failing to reach an agreement with the BMA.

The strikes come at a time when hospitals in the county are already overstretched.

The A&E departments at the JR and Horton were underperforming before the strikes, with just three out of five patients seen within four hours at both hospitals, the latest figures from October reveal.

Covid admissions have also risen by 185 per cent in the last four weeks, with 57 patients being treated by the trust on December 24.

Ms Randall said: “As is often the case at this time of year, the Trust is under a lot of pressure with high numbers of patients attending our hospitals and many of those needing to be admitted.

"We are working with our systems partners to ensure that patients who are ready to continue their recovery at home and leave our hospitals are able to do so in a timely manner.

"This frees up beds for patients who need to be admitted.”