Junior doctors’ industrial action: Friday 11 August to Tuesday 15 August
The NHS is facing another period of significant disruption this week, with potentially appointments and procedures postponed across the county due to the latest round of industrial action by junior doctors.
Junior doctors who are members of the British Medical Association (BMA) and Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) have voted to take industrial action at NHS Trusts across England, including Trusts serving Derby and Derbyshire. It will take place from 7am on Friday 11 August to 7am on Tuesday 15 August. During this time, junior doctors in Derbyshire will have the opportunity and personal choice to go on strike for all or some of the time.
Our key messages to people in Derby and Derbyshire 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. Please use 111 onlineas the first port of call for health needs and only using 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency.
- It is important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases – when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk. A&E, ambulance and 999 services in Derby and Derbyshire will remain available throughout the period.
- Similarly, people in mental health crisis should continue to seek support as normal. Mental health crisis services will be running throughout the period, as will the Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline and Support Service (0800 028 0077).
- The NHS will contact you if an appointment needs to be rescheduled due to industrial action. If your appointment needs to be rearranged, NHS staff may try to call you from a withheld number. We fully understand that it may be very frustrating if your appointment needs to be rescheduled, but we ask you please show courtesy to the staff who are calling to help you. If you have not been contacted, please attend your appointment as planned.
- GP services are impacted by this strike action but please continue to attend your GP appointments, unless you are contacted and told otherwise.
Latest updates
For the most up-to-date information, please see the NHS England website. They have also published a news release. You can also view the following social media accounts:
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
https://twitter.com/royalhospital
Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
https://twitter.com/derbyshcft
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust