The British Medical Association (BMA) has announced strike action by resident doctors from 7am on Tuesday, 7 April, until 7am on Monday 13 April – the six days immediately after the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
During these strikes, all other NHS staff (including consultants and other specialist doctors) will still be working, and the focus of the NHS will be on ensuring as many services as possible continue to operate safely.
Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and serious life-threatening cases - when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.
However, during the strikes, there may be fewer doctors working than usual, and they will need to prioritise life-saving care. Less urgent cases may experience longer waits during strikes.
The NHS is asking patients to choose services appropriately during industrial action. This includes using 111 online as the first port of call for health needs, and as ever only using 999 if it is a serious or life-threatening emergency.
For more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, you can visit the NHS UK website; https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/urgent-and-emergency-care-services/when-to-call-999/ or https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/urgent-and-emergency-care-services/when-to-go-to-ae/
While we will do our best to only cancel appointments where it is necessary, we know from previous strikes that there will be disruption to patient appointments as a result of the strikes.
If we have not contacted you, please attend your appointment as planned. The NHS will contact you by phone or text if your appointment needs to be rescheduled due to strike action.
GP practices and pharmacies will continue to be open during the resident doctors strikes.
