People across the country are being urged to use public health services wisely as Junior Doctors who are members of the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association have the personal choice to take part in industrial action from 7am on Thursday 27th June until 7am on Tuesday 2nd July.
Whilst some NHS services (such as community and district nursing for example) will be largely unaffected, during that time there may be disruption to other services including hospitals, mental health services and primary care or GP practices.
If you have an appointment booked that needs to be rescheduled due to industrial action, your provider will contact you. If you don't hear anything about your appointment then please assume it will be going ahead and attend your appointment as normal.
Please follow the NHS’ advice during this time, to help you get the right care, in the right place, as quickly as possible.
Our messages to all those needing to access any health services are…
- Please use health services wisely during industrial action and take simple steps to help ensure care is available to those who need it most - this page (click here) has some great advice about where to go to get the right treatment at the right place for your health needs. Please use 111 online as the first port of call for health needs and only use 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency.
- Only use 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency (when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk).
- Looking after minor illnesses and injuries yourself at home. You can use a local pharmacy, the NHS App, NHS 111 online or call 111 for advice.
- Use your GP practice as normal unless you hear otherwise from your practice.
- Attend any scheduled medical appointments as usual. The NHS will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled due to strike action.
- People in mental health crisis should continue to access support through the normal channels. Mental health crisis services will be running throughout the industrial action...there is a useful NHS page that helps you to access your nearest 24 hour mental health helpline or support services, you can find it by clicking here.
- It is really important that those of you who need urgent medical care continuie to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases. This includes when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk. A&E, ambulance and 999 services will remain available during this time and by following the advice above, we can all help to ensure the wider health service is avialable for you when you need it.
Latest updates
For the most up-to-date information, please see the NHS England website.