Industrial Action Update: NHS urges people to attend appointments

NHS organisations in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are urging people to attend their appointments unless they are contacted during the junior doctors’ industrial action.

The strike, which will be the third taken by junior doctors, runs from 7am on Wednesday 14 June to 7am on Saturday 17 June.

During the last strike in April, which ran for four days, there were 195,000 cancellations and 27,361 staff not at work due to industrial action across the country

However, despite the disruption to services, many appointments will still be going ahead so it is important that the public do attend appointments unless they hear otherwise.

Dr David Selwyn, Medical Director, Sherwood Forest Hospital Trust said: “Junior doctors play a vital role in helping us deliver all aspects of healthcare across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Because they make up nearly half of our medical workforce, it is inevitable that there will be disruption during this industrial action. As we need to prioritise our emergency and in-patient pathways this may mean that patients have more planned care appointments rescheduled, for which we apologise. If this occurs, we will re-arrange these appointments for you, as soon as possible.

“Please attend your appointments unless you are contacted. If industrial action means your appointment has to be cancelled, your hospital, GP or other provider will directly contact you to make alternative arrangements.”

Nottinghamshire Healthcare’s Chief Executive, Ifti Majid, added: “I hugely value the vital contribution our junior doctors make and respect their legal right to take industrial action. I hope that a resolution will be found very soon.

“Throughout the junior doctor strikes, our focus is to maintain patient safety. As with previous industrial action, our teams have developed robust plans to mitigate the impact on our services and we are doing all we can to ensure safe and compassionate care. It is important that people continue to attend their appointments, unless they have been notified that they have been cancelled.”

How the public can help use healthcare resources as best as possible:

• Please use A&E or call 999 if you are facing life threatening illness or injury. Your NHS is here for you when you need it – especially if you or your loved ones become seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.

• If your relative is due to be discharged from hospital and needs to be collected, please do whatever you can to help bring them home as early as possible. This will help our teams to free-up a hospital bed for someone waiting to be admitted.

• The quickest way to receive medical help is via NHS111 online, but you can also use your GP, pharmacy or urgent treatment centre.

• Pharmacies can offer over-the-counter advice and treat common illnesses such as colds, sore throats, stings and allergies.

• Consider using Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs). They can treat injuries including sprains, strains, suspected fractures, bites, cuts, scalds, and other non-life-threatening conditions. Waiting times are usually much shorter than A&E. We have UTCs at:
  • Nottingham – The NHS Urgent Care Centre (next to the BBC building) is open every day from 7am-7pm. You don’t need an appointment to attend. Seaton House, London Road, Nottingham, NG2 4LA Tel: 0115 883 8500
  • Newark – Newark Hospital is open 9am-10pm (last patient admitted at 9.30pm). It can be found on Boundary Road, NG24 4DE
  • Ilkeston Community Hospital – is open 8am – 8pm. It can be found on Heanor Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 8LN. You can book into this service via 111.