NHS services and latest strike action

The British Medical Association (BMA) has announced strike action by Resident Doctors, from 7am Friday 14 November until 7am Wednesday 19 November.

During these strikes, all other NHS staff (including consultants and other specialist doctors) will still be working, and the focus of the NHS will be on ensuring as many services as possible continue to operate safely.

The NHS will be working closely with unions to discuss any patient safety concerns and ensure safe staffing for emergency care continues to be available.

Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and serious life-threatening cases - when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.

General practice (GPs), community pharmacies, and dentists are open, and the public should continue to access these services as needed on strike days.

Local people are being asked to choose services appropriately during industrial action and take simple steps to help ensure care is available to patients who need it most.

• For anything that isn’t a life-saving emergency, use an alternative NHS service  – use NHS 111 first either online or by phone.
• Your local pharmacist offers expert clinical advice for minor health concerns and helps with many common illnesses like colds, tummy troubles, diarrhoea, heat rash, conjunctivitis, sore throats, coughs, bites and stings.

The pharmacy first service means patients can now visit without a GP appointment for seven common conditions: shingles, sore throat (five years and over), infected insect bites, earaches in children one to 17 years, sinusitis (12 years and over)

• Your GP practice offers same-day appointments. These may be at your practice or at another location, for example a same-day minor illness or injury service. Same-day services for minor illness:
• 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. You can walk in and be given a booked appointment (option to sit and wait or come back at the appointment time).
• St Mark’s 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.
• Windsor Same-Day service: same-day minor illness care, booked via your Windsorbased GP practice. Located at King Edward VII Hospital, open 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5.30pm on Saturdays.
• Bracknell Same Day service for minor illness for patients registered in Bracknell Forest and Ascot only. Booked appointments only via NHS 111 or your GP Surgery.
• 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
• Same day Minor Injury Unit at Brants Bridge, Bracknell, RG12 9RT is open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm – no appointment needed, you can just walk in for sprains and strains, suspected broken limbs, minor scalds and burns and head injuries.
• 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 experiencing a mental health crisis, or you need urgent mental health support, you can call 111 and select the mental health option or call Samaritans on 116 123 for free.

Dr Timothy Ho, Chief Medical Officer, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are working closely with partners to ensure we prioritise urgent and emergency care for patients.

“We are also asking people to be patient, particularly if services are busier and waits are longer than usual or if outpatient or planned procedures need to be rearranged, as our frontline teams prioritise critical services and work hard to make sure people get the care they need.

“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.

“Our staff are dedicated to keeping you safe and ensuring essential NHS services remain available.”

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 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.

“We thank all patients and families for your understanding, support, and cooperation.”

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.