Resident doctors to take industrial action from 7 to 13 April

The British Medical Association (BMA) has announced that resident doctors will take industrial action from 7am on Tuesday 7 April until 6.59am on Monday 13 April.

During the strikes, there may be fewer doctors working than usual, and services will prioritise life‑saving and urgent care. As with previous periods of industrial action, this may mean longer waits for less urgent care and some disruption to planned appointments.

NHS organisations have plans in place to ensure emergency care is prioritised, but local people are being asked to support by:

• Attending hospital and GP appointments unless they are told otherwise by your general practice or hospital.
• Helping friends and family be discharged from hospital by giving them a lift home, making sure they have essential shopping and important items like clothing and a key.
• Treating themselves at home for less serious conditions. You can find information about self-care on the NHS website.
• Choosing the right NHS service for their needs, such as their local pharmacy, GP or urgent treatment centre.
• Visiting NHS 111 online or calling 111 if they need medical help now but are not sure what to do.
• Only attending A&E if it is a life-threatening emergency.
• Being kind to staff.

Dr Dave Briggs, Executive Director of Outcomes (Medical) for the Cluster of Derby & Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Boards, said: “While we know that strikes can be worrying for the public, they should be reassured that urgent and emergency care will continue to be available throughout the strike period.

“People can help by choosing the right service for their needs. There are a range of NHS services available, such as pharmacies, urgent treatment centres and mental health crisis support. If you’re not sure which service is best, please visit NHS 111 online or call 111 to be directed to the right place.

“We’re also asking people to take sensible steps to look after themselves and their loved ones, make sure they have enough regular medication and check in on vulnerable family members, friends and neighbours.”

Additional pressures

Manjeet Shehmar, Medical Director at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust said: “During the industrial action period this April, we expect to see additional pressures in our hospitals which may result in patients having to wait longer to be seen. However, I want to reassure our patients that their safety is our priority and that plans have been put in place to reduce the impact on those who need our care the most. 

“If you have an appointment planned, we encourage you to attend unless told otherwise. A&E will also remain open, so please use in an emergency. We do know that there will be added pressure in this area, so please consider using other services if your condition is not urgent."

Dr Simon Roe, Chief Medical Officer, Sherwood Forest Hospitals said: “Our priority throughout this period of industrial action is to maintain safe urgent and emergency care, and our Emergency Department remains open for anyone who needs us in a genuine emergency.

“Resident doctors make a significant contribution to the day‑to‑day running of our services, and we value the professionalism they bring, including those who choose to work during this period. We are planning carefully to support teams and to minimise disruption to patient care.”

During the last period of resident doctor industrial action in December 2025, the NHS kept almost 95% of planned routine care running, thanks to the commitment and flexibility of staff across the service.

Find out more about other NHS services:

NHS 111

There are a range of services available to help. Visit NHS 111 online or call 111, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for advice, appointments, or to get directed to the most appropriate service.

Pharmacy

Local pharmacies can help with less urgent conditions and may be able to offer treatment and some prescription medicine without you needing to see a GP (this is called Pharmacy First).

Conditions they can treat through Pharmacy First are:

• earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
• impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
• infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
• shingles (aged 18 years and over)
• sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
• sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
• urinary tract infections or UTIs (women aged 16 to 64 years).

Some pharmacies open late (until midnight) and at weekends.

Find out more about pharmacies near you.

Self-care

We also have self-care information to help you manage common conditions such as minor burns and scalds, conjunctivitis, constipation and cystitis on our website. The NHS website also has helpful information about different health conditions.

Children’s health and wellbeing

Find advice for worried parents, covering common illnesses and when to seek treatment for your baby or child. This covers conditions such as chickenpox, asthma, earache, scarlet fever and many more.

Mental health

If you need mental health support, or are in crisis, you can call 111 (option 2) to be directed to the right support. You can also find information on mental health services and support.

Nottinghamshire Crisis Sanctuaries can help you with support, information and guidance if you are over 18 years old and experiencing mental health issues or in a mental health crisis.

You can visit Nottinghamshire Crisis Sanctuaries website or just drop in to one of the sanctuaries for more information:

• Beeston: 318 High Road, NG9 1EJ. 6pm to 11pm, Monday to Sunday
• Mansfield: top of St John Street, NG18 1QJ. 4pm to 9pm, Monday to Sunday
• Worksop: Hardy Street, S80 1EH. 5pm to 10pm, Wednesday and Sunday
• Nottingham City: the Wellbeing Hub, 73 Hounds Gate, NG1 6BB. 6pm to 11pm, Monday to Sunday.

General practice

Contact your General Practice team about symptoms that aren’t going away. They can offer telephone, online, or face-to-face appointments with a GP, nurse or other healthcare professional, depending on what your health concern is. Remember, your GP is open until 6.30pm, and if you need help out of hours, please visit NHS 111 online or phone 111.

Urgent treatment centres

You can visit your local Urgent Treatment Centre for sprains, fractures, minor burns and skin infections:

• Nottingham – The NHS Urgent Treatment Centre (next to the BBC building) is open every day from 7am to 7pm. Seaton House, London Road, Nottingham, NG2 4LA. Call 0115 883 8500.
• Newark – Newark Hospital is open every day from 8am to 10.30pm (last patient seen at 9.30pm). Boundary Road, NG24 4DE.

Dental care

For urgent dental care you can call your local NHS dentist, contact NHS 111 or visit Dental care – NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB for a list of practices offering urgent dental appointments.

 

Published on behalf of NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB.