More than 1,500 hospital patients in Norfolk have now seen appointments postponed to accommodate striking nurses.

On Monday and Tuesday this week, scores of nurses from the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (N&N) took to the picket lines amid an ongoing pay row.

The latest two days of industrial action saw 629 patients lose out on scheduled appointments, as the N&N scrambled to reorganise its non-striking staff.

The vast majority of these appointments were elective procedures such as routine medical checks, tests like endoscopies and visits to consultants for ongoing issues.

They would also have included non-emergency operations, with more 'critical' appointments such as dialysis and chemotherapy shielded from the strike action.

It takes the number of appointments postponed as a result of the strikes into four figures - with 877 rescheduled over the course of two previous days of demonstrations.

Members of the Royal College of Nursing at the hospital have now spent four days picketing - January 18 and 19 and February 6 and 7.

Across these four days, the hospital was forced to sacrifice 1,506 appointments in total.

Of these, 267 were in-patient procedures and 1,239 were out-patient appointments.

However, the number is considerably below the amount initially feared by hospital chief operating officer Chris Cobb - who last week told its board the figure could be in the thousands.

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk and Norwich Unviersity Hosptial chief operating officer Chris Cobb. Picture: NNUH

He said: "We have robust plans to deal with a range of disruptions and we have been working closely with union colleagues to maintain key services during strike days.

"During industrial action, we reduced the number of appointments we had planned at our trust to maintain emergency and life-preserving care.

"We understand how disappointing and concerning this will be for those waiting for treatment and we are very sorry this is the case.

"We will re-arrange these appointments as quickly as possible.”