Croydon’s NHS management is urging people to come forward if they need urgent care ahead of next week’s junior doctors’ strike.
Industrial action: the four-day strike will be the biggest ever by Britain’s junior doctors
Industrial action is expected to cause major disruption across the NHS, as junior doctors in England prepare to hold their biggest-ever strike.
Taking place over four consecutive days, thousands of junior doctors in hospitals across the country are expected to walk out in an ongoing dispute between trade unions and the Government over pay and working conditions. The 96-hour strike will start at 7am on Tuesday April 11 and continue until Saturday morning, April 15.
Urging the public to contact NHS 111 if they are unsure about what health services they need, Dr Subhro Banerjee, the medical director at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust said: “If you need medical help, don’t delay. If it is a life-threatening emergency then you should still call 999.
“We know that our services are going to be exceptionally busy over the Bank Holidays and because of the timing and scale of the strike there will be longer waits and unavoidable delays for many of our patients needing non-urgent care.
“We will only cancel planned appointments where absolutely necessary, but we will be prioritising emergency treatment and critical care during the strike, with our senior consultants, nurses and support staff working night and day to keep our patients safe and cared for, whilst respecting the rights of our junior doctors to strike.”
Previous strike action by junior doctors over three days in March saw 175,000 hospital appointments disrupted across the NHS, including around 2,000 outpatient consultations and operations in Croydon. Despite the strikes, around 100 patients at Croydon University Hospital underwent urgent surgery and received vital cancer treatment.
Busy: Dr Subhro Banerjee
As this next strike is over a longer period, a greater number of appointments are expected to be affected.
Croydon’s NHS is contacting patients affected to rearrange every appointment where necessary.
If patients have not been contacted directly by telephone, letter and text, they are encouraged to attend their planned appointment as scheduled.
Patients needing medical help or advice are urged to visit NHS 111 online, where trained advisors can help find the right services.
In addition, the NHS app offers 24/7 access to a range of NHS services all in one place.
For further information about how the NHS in Croydon is responding to the industrial action by junior doctors, please visit: www.croydonhealthservices.nhs.uk.
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