Further strike action impacts on local NHS services
The NHS and patients in Shropshire are facing further disruption this week as three more days of historic joint walkouts by junior doctors and consultants are set to bring routine care services to a “near standstill”.
Thousands more appointments are expected to be rescheduled, just days after the total number of postponements since strikes began exceeded one million appointments.
From 7am today until 7am on Thursday, both junior doctors and consultants will deliver ‘Christmas Day’ levels of staffing only, meaning that, while emergency care will be provided for those in need, routine hospital services will be severely affected.
The first-ever joint industrial action by both consultants and junior doctors took place last week, seeing 129,913 inpatient and outpatient appointments rescheduled across the week. At the peak of the action, on Wednesday 20th September, there were 26,802 staff absent from work due to industrial action.
The NHS is reminding the public that they should continue to use health services as they usually would – using 999 and A&E in life threatening situations and using 111 online for other health concerns. GPs and pharmacies can be used by the public for health advice and appointments as normal.
Dr Nick White, Chief Medical Officer for NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said: “The NHS faces coordinated industrial action next week stretching over three days with both consultants and junior doctors striking in our hospitals. We will be prioritising emergency care and please be aware that it is highly likely planned or non-emergency work will be significantly impacted. If you have a planned appointment, please come in as expected, unless you hear otherwise.
“The NHS is asking patients to choose services wisely during the industrial action and take simple steps to help ensure care is available to patients who need it most.
“This includes using 111 online as the first port of call for health needs and continuing to only use 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency.
“GP practices and local pharmacies will remain open as normal but are expected to be busier than usual as a result. Also, please consider using your local Minor Injury Unit in Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Oswestry and Whitchurch. These can provide rapid treatment for injuries and illnesses that don’t require emergency hospital care.
“Finally, if you have a loved one or family member in hospital, please do everything possible to help us get them home as soon as they are well enough to leave hospital. Freeing up beds for people who need them will be an important element of supporting our all of our services, including the emergency services.”
NHS national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said: “NHS services have had very little time to recover from the previous action, and to now face an unprecedented three consecutive days of ‘Christmas Day’ cover this week which will prove extremely challenging, with almost all routine care brought to a near standstill.
“Staff are working incredibly hard to prioritise emergency care, and we’re very grateful to the public for using the NHS wisely during this period of disruption by using 999 in life-threatening situations and 111 online and community services like pharmacies and GPs for everything else.”
