Junior doctors in Shropshire join three-day strike
Junior doctors across Shropshire have begun 72 hours of industrial action taking place until 7am on Saturday as part of a national strike over pay.
Talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) union and the government broke down in May. The union has been asking for a 35% increase to make up for 15 years of below-inflation rises.
It will be the third period of industrial action by junior doctors this year, following a 96-hour strike in April.
The strike action will impact all our hospitals – The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, and the community hospitals run by Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust.
NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin said it was working hard to ensure minimal disruption to services. Emergency care will be prioritised and patients seeking urgent treatment will be seen.
However, where appropriate, we are being urged to use other non-hospital services for advice and treatment during this time, such as 111.nhs.uk or telephone 111
GP practices, Minor injury units and local pharmacies.
Chief Medical Officer at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, Dr Nick White, said:
“The 72-hour strike will bring substantial challenges to the local NHS, particularly hospital services, and we are sorry that many patients will experience disruption to services.
“Partners across the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care System are working closely together to ensure those in greatest need continue to have access to high quality care and support.
“We cannot emphasise enough how important it will be to keep our A&Es clear for life threatening conditions and serious injuries.”
