Intensive care nurses at Bassetlaw Hospital in Nottinghamshire are poised to strike over proposed plans to relocate part of the intensive care unit to Doncaster Royal Infirmary. The Unite union alleges that the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (DBTH) is attempting to transfer staff for extended periods, potentially leading to increased commute times and staff burnout. The union also criticizes the trust's threat to fire and rehire nurses on new contracts that require them to work part-time in Doncaster. The trust defends the relocation as necessary to ensure high-quality care and maintain staff expertise, but Unite insists it will escalate the situation unless the plan is reversed.
Intensive care nurses at Bassetlaw Hospital in Nottinghamshire are threatening to strike over claims that part of the site is being closed down 'by stealth'. The Unite union alleges that there are attempts to transfer staff to Doncaster Royal Infirmary for at least two months a year, potentially increasing to four months. Unite argues that this move would add at least an hour and a half to the daily commute for those who drive and three hours for those using public transport, risking 'burnout'.
Doncaster Royal Infirmary is located just under 20 miles away from Bassetlaw Hospital. The union further claims that the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (DBTH) is threatening to fire and rehire nurses on new contracts, requiring them to work part-time in Doncaster if they refuse to transfer voluntarily. Unite states that four members of staff have already left Bassetlaw's intensive care unit (ICU) for other units. The trust managing both Bassetlaw and Doncaster insists that it understands the change is 'difficult' but maintains that Bassetlaw's ICU is significantly quieter than Doncaster's. The trust also asserts that the plan will involve a Doncaster transfer of no more than eight weeks a year and highlights its recent £30 million investment in a new emergency care village, consolidating A&E, paediatric services, and an adult inpatient and assessment ward. However, Unite remains adamant that strike action dates will be scheduled in the coming weeks unless the trust reconsiders its plans. Sharon Graham, Unite's general secretary, stated, 'An NHS Trust should not even be thinking of firing and rehiring staff – it is an abhorrent practice that should be banned outright. 'The trust's threats have simply strengthened the nurses' resolve to stop Bassetlaw's residents being deprived of a critically important health resource.' Chris Rawlinson, a regional officer at Unite, added, 'The trust's plan is entirely unreasonable. 'This is a clear attempt at decommissioning by stealth – with the real risk that Bassetlaw patients in urgent need of an ICU will end up having to travel 20 miles to Doncaster to get to one. The trust must row back.' Karen Jessop, chief nurse at DBTH, responded, 'We understand that change is difficult, however this is about doing the right thing for our patients and securing the future of critical services locally. The ICU at Bassetlaw Hospital sees fewer critically ill patients than Doncaster Royal Infirmary, meaning clinicians at the latter manage more complex cases daily. 'By rotating our ICU clinicians across both sites, we ensure they maintain the skills and experience needed to provide safe, high-quality care— wherever it's needed. Patients deserve the very best, and their loved ones should have confidence that we can respond to any situation, no matter how complex. With these changes, we can ensure services remain safe, sustainable, and effective for years to come.
NHS Strike Nurses Bassetlaw Hospital Doncaster Royal Infirmary ICU Fire-And-Rehire Relocation Commute Burnout
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