The British Medical Association has announced that junior doctors will be striking at NHS organisations across England from 7am on Thursday 13 July to 7am on Tuesday 18 July.
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are urging members of the public to take simple steps to help ensure urgent and emergency care is available to patients who need it most during the upcoming industrial action.
This includes using 111 online as the first port of call for health needs and continuing to only use 999 in an emergency - when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
Dr Jen Joiner, consultant in emergency medicine and clinical director for unscheduled care, said:
“We want to reassure our patients, their families, and carers that our priority is to continue to provide the best possible care and ensure our services run smoothly and safely.
“Throughout this period, we will continue to work hard to care for those who need us and are asking people to support their local hospitals by protecting emergency departments for those who need our care most.
“You can do this by only attending our emergency departments if it is an urgent and/or life-threatening situation.”
Disruption to services is unavoidable during industrial action, and Hampshire Hospitals is working closely with partners to ensure services run as smoothly as possible. Some planned care may be postponed to ensure patient safety across our emergency services, though this will be kept to a minimum.
Patients who have hospital appointments during this period should still attend as planned unless they have been contacted directly.
The public can also play their part by taking simple steps to look after themselves, loved ones and checking in on vulnerable family members and neighbours.
