Patients at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital are being told to attend appointments as normal tomorrow - unless they are contacted by the hospital to tell them that their appointment has been postponed.

In the run-up to the planned strike action by public sector workers, managers and union representatives at the QEH have met to discusss ways of minimizing the impact on patients.

In a joint comment, Jacqui Bate the hospital's director of HR and John Sweeney, chair of the hospital's Joint Staff Consultative Committee, said: 'Managers have been asked to monitor the staffing situation in their departments both prior, during and following any period of industrial action.

'The hospital will be asking staff in advance of the November 30 if they intend to take industrial action. While there is no obligation on staff to provide this information, if they choose to do so, it will help with contingency planning.

'The hospital will also liaise with local partners to understand if any changes in their services during this period are likely to have a knock-on affect on the hospital.

'We are aware that some colleagues may experience difficulties with childcare or other disruption to their domestic arrangements due to industrial action in other public sector organisations.'