Thousands to miss NHS bank holiday appointments

Thousands of hospital and GP appointments have been cancelled due to the public holiday on Monday.

- REBECCA THOMAS

Many hospitals are to postpone outpatient appointments and planned operations because of reduced staffing, while most GP surgeries will also close.

NHS hospitals in England have been urged to contact patients who could be affected, whether or not their appointment has been postponed.

Some hospitals have said they will be operating as usual, while others have said that they will postpone some non-urgent appointments.

Meanwhile, NHS leaders have called on the government to clarify whether all NHS staff in England would be required to work and whether they would be entitled to the usual higher rates of pay for public holidays.

Dr Layla McCay, director of policy at the NHS Confederation, said: “As different rates of payment are given to frontline health and care staff for working over bank holidays, NHS leaders are awaiting confirmation from the government that this additional cost will be compensated in full.”