Thousands of hospital appointments have been cancelled today as some nurses, health workers and other educational members of the trade union Unison go on strike in a bid to 'defend jobs and services'.

The strike began at midnight with the first picket line forming at the Mater Hospital in north Belfast minutes later.

However, emergency cover with the Health Trusts and the Ambulance Service has been agreed and the union is protecting patient safety through an agreed Protocol.

Picket lines later formed at all hospitals across Northern Ireland from early morning, but the ambulance service is providing emergency cover but day case transport is cancelled.

In Social Services, transport, day centres and other facilities are affected.

In some areas home care workers are taking strike action for the first time ever but today, residential Homes for older people and children's homes will operate normally as part of our critical cover.

Regional Secretary, Patricia McKeown, said: "It is more than 30 years since strike action took place simultaneously across our integrated Health & Social Care system.

"Many of the workers taking strike action on Wednesday were children themselves when the last main strike occurred. For the majority it will be the first time they have ever been on strike.

"This action does not come lightly to any member. They are sacrificing their pay in difficult times to highlight the impact of cuts on services and jobs," she said.

"We sincerely apologise to the Public for any disruption caused on the day.

"The People of Northern Ireland did not cause this financial crisis. Health and Education workers did not cause it.

"Patients, social services clients and school children did not cause it. They should not be the targets of the deepest cuts in our history. We are taking one day of action to help save our future.

"We are standing up to protect services and jobs," she said, adding, "Please stand with us."

The Department of Health said that some 2,400 appointments or procedures have been cancelled because of the action by Unison members and the NI Health Minister Edwin Poots said that the strike would hurt the "ill and vulnerable".

Most of the hospital appointments cancelled in Northern Ireland are for outpatients but some day procedures and elective surgeries have also been postponed.

Mr Poots said the strike action was "avoidable and unnecessary".

(BMcC/GK)