Surrey’s NHS warns of disruption as it prepares for biggest strike action yet
The Joint Chief Medical Officer for Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership – which brings together NHS organisations and wider partners across Surrey – is warning of further disruption to some services this week and next as a result of, what is thought to be, the longest strike in the health service’s history.
Junior doctors, who are part of the British Medical Association (BMA), are due to take part in planned industrial action from 7am on Thursday (13 July) until 7am on Tuesday 18 July as part of a 5 day strike. Two days later consultants who are members of the BMA and the British Dental Association are also due to strike for the first time for a 48-hour period, which will impact further on local services.
Health leaders are warning of disruption to some services and encouraging people to still come forward if they need urgent medical help during the strike period.
Professor Andy Rhodes, Joint Chief Medical Officer for Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care System and explains:
We have well-rehearsed plans in place to manage periods of planned industrial action and, working together across health and care organisations, we will continue to prioritise critical services – but unfortunately, this means some appointments and planned operations will have to be rescheduled.
During the last period of strike action by junior doctors last month, at its peak over 530 junior doctors working in organisations across Surrey Heartlands took part and, as a result, over the four day period, we rescheduled over 190 planned inpatient appointments and procedures and over 2,150 outpatients appointments.
We don’t yet know how many junior doctors will take part this time – and people will be contacted directly if their appointment needs to be changed - but we expect some services to be affected.
If people need to access health advice and treatment during this period of planned industrial action we are encouraging them to still come forward – and to use services responsibly and appropriately:
- People should continue to use 111 online as the first port of call for urgent health advice – when it’s not a medical emergency - or call 111 if people do not have access to the internet.
- People should only use 999 and A&E for serious or life-threatening conditions or medical emergencies (when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk).
- If people’s appointments or procedures have been affected by industrial action the local NHS will contact people directly to reschedule them as soon as possible.
If people need urgent medical advice during this strike period, it’s really important they still come forward and NHS 111 online or calling NHS 111 is the first port of call for urgent help – and in an emergency or life threatening situation people should continue to call 999.
Professor Rhodes added:
We are expecting this week’s industrial action, followed by planned action by some hospital consultants next week, to put more pressure on local services, so we are asking members of the public for their support in using services responsibly and appropriately and helping us keep A&E and 999 for those who need them most.
We are also asking people to be patient, particularly if services are busier and waits are longer than usual, as our frontline teams prioritise critical services and work hard to make sure people get the care they need.