County NHS services brace for week-long Resident Doctor strike
Health leaders across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin say they are prepared as resident doctors across the country prepare to stage a significant walkout.
The industrial action, coordinated by the British Medical Association, is scheduled to begin at 7 am on Tuesday, 7 April, and will continue until 7 am on Monday, 13 April 2026. This latest round of strikes stems from a long-running national dispute with the Government regarding pay, working conditions, and employment terms, with resident doctors currently holding a mandate for such action until August this year.
During the strike, local NHS organisations will rely on consultants, specialist doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals to maintain frontline services. The primary focus for health boards in the region is the preservation of safe, life-saving emergency care. While significant efforts are being made to limit the impact on patients, officials have warned that disruption to local hospital services is inevitable.
While urgent and emergency departments will remain open, staffing will be heavily prioritised toward the most critical cases, likely leading to longer waiting times for non-urgent care.
Rachael Gallyot, Interim Chief Medical Officer for NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said: “Our priority remains keeping patients safe and maintaining access to urgent and emergency care. We recognise the pressure this industrial action places on our staff, who continue to work incredibly hard. We are grateful for the public’s support and patience, and for our teams’ ongoing commitment to caring for local people.”
Patients are being advised that they will be contacted directly if their specific appointment or surgery needs to be rescheduled. In the absence of such notification, the public is urged to attend their appointments as planned to avoid further backlogs.
GP surgeries and dental practices are expected to operate as normal, and community pharmacies will remain available for minor health concerns. For non-emergency medical needs, residents are encouraged to use the NHS 111 online service as their first point of contact to help alleviate pressure on hospital emergency rooms.
Previous strikes have seen the NHS maintain nearly 95% of planned routine care due to the redistribution of staff, and local leaders are hopeful for a similar level of resilience this time. However, the public is reminded to reserve 999 calls strictly for life-threatening emergencies. Beyond medical intervention, health officials are also asking residents to check in on vulnerable neighbours and family members during the strike period to ensure the wider community remains supported during the disruption.
