Thousands of patients could have their hospital appointments cancelled at the last minute, as health bosses make urgent preparations for the largest strike in NHS history.
Nurses and other staff at Norfolk's biggest hospital - as well as some at other NHS trusts - are taking part in a two-day walkout on Monday and Tuesday, as part of an intensifying dispute over pay.
Around 5,000 appointments are scheduled to be held at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital over the two days, and the patients are yet to be told whether theirs will be cancelled.
Chris Cobb, the hospital's chief operating officer, told a meeting to discuss the action that staff would have to telephone patients by the end of the week to tell them if their consultations would have to be rescheduled.
Any patients who do not receive a call or letter should attend as normal.
The Royal College of Nursing, which has organised the strike, has agreed that chemotherapy, dialysis, neonatal and some other 'critical' appointments will still go ahead.
Most of the cancellations are likely to be for non-emergency operations, health checks and minor procedures such as endoscopies.
It comes with the hospital already battling to work through waiting lists, with more than 4,500 patients facing waits of more than 18 months for treatment.
Nationally, there are more than seven million people - one in eight of the population - on a waiting list for planned care, such as knee and hip operations.
A similar two-day strike last month lead to the cancellation of 877 appointments at the Norfolk and Norwich, with 13pc of planned bookings put back.
Many of the patients affected have yet to have theirs rescheduled.
On that occasion, 302 nurses took part in the walkout on the first day and 272 on the second.
Precise numbers taking part in the strikes next Monday and Tuesday are not yet known, but nurses will be joined by physiotherapists, who are also on strike.
At this week's meeting of the hospital's board, Mr Cobb warned the number of cancelled appointments could be even higher next week.
"Last month we had to cancel about 13pc of our outpatient appointments and around 400 of these patients are still waiting for theirs to be rescheduled," he said.
"We have around 5,000 appointments scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. This presents a major headache."
WHO IS ON STRIKE?
Staff at Norfolk's other two main hospitals, King's Lynn's Queen Elizabeth and the James Paget in Gorleston, are not taking part in next week's action because neither returned enough of a majority in the ballot to participate.
However, nurses at the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust - which runs the region's mental health services - are on strike.
Last month, 117 of them walked out on January 18 and 125 the following day. Some 207 appointments were cancelled.
Nurses from the Norfolk Community Health and Care Trust, which provides respite care and services in the community, also voted to strike.
In January, 137 of its nurses walked out on the first day and 121 on the second. The trust rescheduled 162 appointments.
The Royal College of Nursing wants a rise of 5pc above inflation, but has indicated it may meet the government "halfway".
The government says this year's pay award - a 4.75pc average increase - is in line with the recommendation from the NHS Pay Review Body. It argues the pay demands are unaffordable.
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy says it is seeking an above-inflation pay rise.
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