Christmas holidays cancelled for ALL hospital staff

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) has imposed a restriction, which usually only applies to nurses, meaning employees are prohibited from taking entire block weeks off over Christmas and New Year.

While the trust has implemented the move for some departments in the past it is the first time it has been applied to the entire roster which boasts 11,000 workers, including those based at sister hospital Royal Stoke.

Bosses have declared it is one of many measures they are taking as part of their 'most comprehensive' winter plan ever ahead of a predicted surge in demand over the next two months.

Paula Clark, chief executive of the trust, said: “Nationally, the NHS as a whole will face inevitable challenges and pressures this winter, and UHNM is no different.

“We still have a high number of medically fit patients waiting to be discharged and our partners are working hard to meet this challenge.

“Because of this we have been working hard internally to implement plans that will improve our ability as an organisation to deal effectively with a surge in patients in our hospitals.

“UHNM has produced its most comprehensive winter plan to date to meet the expected surge in demand for services in December 2017 and January 2018.

“As part of these plans, we have identified a number of specific actions that can be undertaken at both County Hospital and Royal Stoke University Hospital to help deal with increased pressure throughout the winter period.

“This includes investing £2m to create 45 new beds at the Royal Stoke, pausing non-urgent elective surgery for two weeks in early 2018, asking our staff not to take long holidays during the busiest periods and ensuring the maximum number of consultants are present on our wards to make decisions about what care patients need and when they can go home.

“Our staff have been fantastic in helping us put patients first and I can’t thank them enough.”

Stafford Borough Councillor Christine Baron, who is a member of the Stafford and Surrounds Patients Liaison Group, said: "It does seem unfair. I understand there will have to be a certain amount of people in at some times and there will have to be a certain amount of consultants and so on, but to stop all staff.

"But it does go with the territory of working in the public sector, if you look at the police I don't think they can have time off around Christmas.

"As long as the staff get some time I am sure they will be okay and be able to sort it out between themselves."