NHS prepares for industrial action by junior doctors

The NHS In Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West is preparing for the impact of further industrial action by junior doctors.

This coincides with high temperatures across the UK so the advice is choose services well and stay safe.

Industrial action by junior doctors, part of the British Medical Association and Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association, starts at 7am on Wednesday 14 June and ends on Saturday 17 June at 7am.  Junior doctors make up about half of the NHS doctors so some services will be disrupted, and we are taking steps to prioritise resources to protect:

1. Emergency treatment
2. Critical care
3. Maternity
4. Neonatal care
5. Trauma 

People can help by using 111 online https://111.nhs.uk/ to get the best service for their needs, ensuring prescriptions are up to date and looking out for vulnerable family and friends.

To make sure safe care continues to be available for those in life-threatening situations, NHS staff will be asked to prioritise emergency and urgent care over some routine appointments and procedures – but these will only be cancelled where unavoidable and patients will be offered an alternative date as soon as possible.

Steve McManus, interim chief executive of the NHS in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West, said: "We don't underestimate the impact this industrial action will have on our patients. Some non-emergency operations and other appointments will be rearranged.

"During industrial action please continue to use primary care as normal and keep appointments unless the NHS advises you not to. Please make best use of the NHS by using NHS 111 online https://111.nhs.uk/, using the NHS App or speaking to your local pharmacist first for health advice. Think about which NHS service can best meet your needs."

"NHS staff working during the industrial action will be working very hard in hospitals, community teams, GP and primary care services and pharmacies to keep people safe and respond to their needs. 

"The scale and length of this industrial action means that we cannot fully mitigate the impact on patients. The industrial action coincides with a heatwave across the UK and it's really important for people of all ages to make sure that they stay well and safe by drinking lots more water than usual to stay well hydrated. 

"Emergencies, critical care, maternity, trauma and neonatal care safe staffing will be our absolute priority, but it will involve the NHS working together across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West to ensure we are there for people at their moment of need. We are grateful to all our colleagues working during this time to keep services running and patients safe."

Dr Rachael de Caux, chief medical officer for the NHS in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West and consultant in emergency medicine said: "If you have an emergency or life-threatening need, continue to come to Emergency Departments. We expect them to be very busy in the days ahead and if your need is not an emergency you can expect to wait a very long time or be redirected to a more appropriate service. NHS 111 online remains the best place to help you get to the part of the NHS that can best respond to your needs.

"While the good weather might be welcome to some, it can also come with significant health risks particularly for older people, very young children, and people with long term health conditions, like diabetes, COPD, or heart failure. Taking a few simple steps can make a big difference to your health in hot weather."

Please remember:

1. Continue to access GPs as normal
2. Call 111 to get the right service for your needs
3. Make sure prescriptions are up to date
4. Stay safe and look out for vulnerable family and friends
5. Keep appointments unless you are contacted by the NHS with alternative arrangements
6. Remember A&E is for emergencies and life-threatening situations.