Some routine appointments and operations will be postponed as consultants will be used to cover for junior doctors
Junior doctors across the National Health Service (NHS) will go on strike from tomorrow (20 December) at 7.00am until 7.00am on Saturday (23 December). After Christmas and New Year, they are also planning for the longest action ever from 7.00am on the 3 January to 7.00am on the 9 January.
With the NHS already under significant winter pressure, these strikes are expected to cause major disruption to routine healthcare services over the holidays, even though consultants will step in to cover for junior doctors, who make up 50 per cent of the medical workforce.
Meanwhile, top doctors at the NHS have warned that some routine appointments and operations will be postponed, as the service will be focussing on urgent and emergency care.
Hospitals will be contacting people directly if their appointment need to be delayed, and so they have asked patients who haven’t been contacted to attend their planned appointments as normal.
Dr Michael Marsh, NHS England South West Medical Director, said: “The NHS is always busy during the winter months and in particular over the Christmas and New Year period as staff take a well-earned break to be with family and friends.
“Add industrial action to that pressure means the NHS has to prioritise urgent and emergency care to ensure people are cared for safely. That does mean having to postpone routine appointment and operations so that staff are freed up to cover for junior doctors.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, has raised concern that junior doctors’ strike will cause huge disruption to the NHS, as it has come at a time when services are already feeling “the strain of winter pressure.”
He said: “When you factor in the Christmas and New Year break, these strikes will prolong that period of reduced activity and it also puts the health service on the back foot into the new year, which is a time where we see demand start to rise significantly.
Both have appealed to people to continue to call 999 in life-threatening emergencies and use 111 online for all other health concerns to help the NHS over the festive period.
Patients are encouraged to make use of pharmacies and visit pharmacists, who can give you expert, confidential advice and over-the-counter remedies for minor illnesses and ailments. There’s no need to make an appointment to see a pharmacist, and they are open over weekends.
The NHS has also asked people to stock up enough regular medication and ensure that they don’t run out of repeat prescription requests during the holidays. If you do run out, your own GP can help arrange an urgent medication supply.
It is estimated that strikes have caused more than 1.1 million inpatient and outpatient appointments rescheduled this year.
Sukhi Basra