Heather Caudle, the chief nursing officer at Northern Care Alliance NHS Trust – which covers Oldham – said staff were “incredibly shocked and saddened by last night’s incident and our focus is on supporting the colleague involved and their family”.
She added: “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.”
She said they were working with police and all services at the hospital would remain open.
In a social media post, Oldham West MP Jim McMahon, who is also a minister for local government, expressed his shock at what he described as “a senseless attack”.
He said his thoughts were with the staff member, her family and friends and wished her a full recovery.
