Man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following incident overnight in Oldham

At 11:30pm last night (Saturday 11 January) we were called to Rochdale Road in Oldham to reports of a stabbing.

It’s believed that a member of the public attacked a member of staff at Royal Oldham Hospital in the Acute Medical Unit.

The victim, a woman in her 50s, suffered serious injuries and remains in hospital for treatment. Her injuries are believed to be life changing.

A 37 year old man was swiftly arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder. He remains in police custody.

Whilst this investigation is in the early stages, we are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with this incident, and we do not believe there to be a threat to the wider public.

Detective Sergeant Craig Roters from our 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.”

Chief nursing officer at Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust Heather Caudle 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.”