Longest strike action set to severely disrupt the NHS in the New Year
The NHS will face 6 days of major disruption at a time when services are already under significant winter pressure.
Junior doctors in England will be taking strike action from 7am 3 January – 7am 9 January, with NHS leaders warning the impact will be very challenging for local services.
The NHS will prioritise urgent and emergency care as consultants step in to cover for junior doctors, who make up 50% of the medical workforce. In more than a full calendar year of industrial action, strikes have seen more than 1.1million inpatient and outpatient appointments rescheduled.
NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust are grateful to people for their support during the several periods of industrial action seen so far, and are calling on the public to give support again to ensure local communities, patients, families, and carers are provided with high quality NHS care.
Despite extensive planning and cover arrangements in place, the latest strikes by junior doctors are expected to cause widespread disruption – from the impact on almost all routine care, to extra administrative burden and difficulties with discharging patients.
The NHS is reminding people that they should continue to use services as they normally would when they need urgent medical help – using 999 and A&E in life threatening emergencies.
General practice, community pharmacies, and dentistry are open, and the public should continue to access these services as needed on strike days.
Local people are being asked to take the following actions:
- Choose the most appropriate NHS service for their needs and only use 999 and A&E or Emergency Departments for serious or life-threatening emergencies.
- For anything that isn’t a life-saving emergency, use an alternative NHS service and to use NHS 111 first either online or by phone.
- Your GP practice offers same day primary care appointments, these may be at your practice or at another location for example an Urgent Care Centre.
- If your child is unwell, and you’re not sure where the best place to go for advice is, visit the NHS Frimley Healthier Together website or download the app. Designed by local experts, it provides support to parents and carers to help them manage a range of common childhood illnesses. https://frimley-healthiertogether.nhs.uk
- Minor Injury Unit at Brants Bridge, Bracknell, RG12 9RT is open 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm – no appointment needed, you can just walk in. You can search for your nearest minor injury unit or urgent care service here: Find Urgent Care services - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- Urgent Care Centre for minor illness:
Aldershot Urgent Care Centre - open 8am – 8pm Mon to Sat (not open on Bank Holiday). If you contact 111 or your local GP practice, you may be offered an appointment here. You may also be redirected to this service if you attend A&E. There is a walk-in clinic for under-12s, available Monday – Saturday from 2-6pm (not open on Bank Holiday). However, booking is strongly recommended for children under 12 to avoid long waiting times and to ensure availability of appointment as those with urgent clinical needs will be prioritised.
Slough Urgent Care Centre, Priors Close - open 8am-8pm, 7 days a week, providing booked and walk-in urgent care for patients who do not require treatment in the emergency department. Patients must be registered with a GP in the Slough area. Walk in and be given a booked appointment (option to sit and wait or come back at the appointment time)
St Marks Urgent Primary Care Centre offers same day urgent care for both minor illness and minor injuries for Maidenhead registered patients. Your GP practice or NHS 111 can book you into this service.
- If you are feeling worried about your mental health there are number of services available, visit Mental Health Support | Frimley Health and Care
If you are in a mental health crisis, call 111 or text Shout to 85258. Shout is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. - Know it may take longer than expected to be seen and treated.
- Collect family and friends from hospital as soon as they are ready to be discharged.
- To stay away from hospitals if showing the symptoms of flu or COVID-19 (or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19), unless it is an emergency.
Dr Timothy Ho, Chief Medical Officer, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: “These strikes come at a time that will cause huge disruption to the NHS, with services already feeling the strain of winter pressure.
“All health and care partners are working together, and we have drawn up contingency plans but we are concerned as this round of industrial action will see junior doctors on strike for 6 days.
“We are working closely with partners to ensure we prioritise urgent and emergency care for patients, but we do need the public to continue to support us and use the right health service to meet their needs.
“Routine appointments may be rescheduled. If you have not been contacted by the Trust, we would advise that you attend your appointment as planned, but please continue to check for updates.”
Dr Lalitha Iyer, Chief Medical Officer for NHS Frimley ICB, said: “There are steps we can all take to make sure we use the most appropriate service for our needs and ensure that help can be prioritised to those who need it most.
“It’s very important that people who need medical care come forward, especially when someone has a life-threatening illness or injury. A range of services are available to ensure Accident and Emergency Departments (A&E) are freed up to treat those with life-threatening and critical illnesses or injuries. Care for life-threatening or serious illness/injury will be prioritised.
“If you are unwell or injured, it’s important to choose the right service to make sure you get the best treatment as quickly as possible.
“Your General Practice and local pharmacies are open during the period of the strike, so please continue to use these services as normal. If you are unsure of what service to choose, visit NHS 111 online https://111.nhs.uk . It includes a symptom checker and can connect you to a nurse, emergency dentist, pharmacist or book you a same day primary care appointment for minor illness or injury.
“You can also walk into the Bracknell Minor Injury Unit for things such as sprains and strains, suspected broken limbs, minor head injuries and minor scalds and burns. It is open 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm. X ray is available Sundays to Fridays.
“If your child is unwell, and you’re not sure where the best place to go for advice is, visit the NHS Frimley Healthier Together website or download the app. Designed by local experts, it provides support to parents and carers to help them manage a range of common childhood illnesses. https://frimley-healthiertogether.nhs.uk/”
There are steps we can all take to make sure we use the most appropriate service for our needs to support our busy health services. Visit our Choose the Right Service page for details of local services.