A nurse aged in her 50s suffered injuries described as “life changing” after an incident at the A&E department at Royal Oldham Hospital on Saturday night, as police made an arrest
At around 11.30pm on Saturday night, a nurse working in the A&E department of a busy hospital was attacked.
Said to be aged in her 50s, the member of staff at Royal Oldham Hospital is said to have suffered injuries described as “life changing”. Greater Manchester Police arrested a 37-year-old man who is being held on suspicion of attempted murder and the force said it was not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
Exact details are unknown, however the man reportedly didn’t use a knife in the incident. Instead, the weapon is described as a “sharp implement”. It was earlier suggested the attack was prompted by the patient’s frustration at having to wait in A&E. Despite the incident, all services at the hospital were open today.
The NHS hospital trust has responded to the shock incident. Heather Caudle, chief nursing officer at Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Royal Oldham Hospital, earlier said: “We are incredibly shocked and saddened by last night’s incident and our focus is on supporting the colleague involved and their family.
“Our thoughts are also with colleagues and patients who were there at the time of the incident and for whom this has been distressing and frightening. We will continue to support Greater Manchester Police with their inquiries. All services at The Royal Oldham Hospital remain open.”
Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive of NHS England, posted on X: “I am shocked by the horrific attack on a nurse at the Royal Oldham Hospital, as are all my colleagues at @NHSEngland. Our thoughts are with her, her family and friends.”
Detective Sergeant Craig Roters from Greater Manchester Police’s Oldham district said: “This is a serious incident which has left a woman in a critical condition. Our thoughts are with her family and colleagues, and we will continue to support them throughout this investigation.
“The local community can expect to see an increase in police presence whilst we carry out enquiries, but they are also there to offer reassurance and answer any questions you may have. We know that news of this nature will come as a shock, and if you have any concerns or anything you would like to share, please speak to them.”
Politicians have also responded to the horror incident. Health Secretary Wes Streeting posted on X: “My thoughts are with the nurse and her loved ones following this horrific attack at The Royal Oldham Hospital.
“Nurses are the backbone of our NHS and should be able to care for patients without fear of violence. We’re in touch with the Trust and will update further as we can.”
