Patients urged to 'choose services appropriately' during upcoming five day resident doctors strike
NHS patients have been urged to think twice about which health services to use during tomorrow's five day resident doctor's strike.
From 7am tomorrow (Friday) resident doctors, previously known as junior doctors, in England will strike over a pay dispute with the Government.
Hospitals will bare the brunt of disruption with patients facing cancellations of operations and delays to services normally provided by resident doctors.
This morning (Thursday) Dudley NHS Group posted a message to patients on social media.
The said: "We're asking patients to choose services appropriately during Resident Doctors industrial action and take steps to ensure care is available to patients who need it most."
"Please use 111 online for your health needs, and only use 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency."
Picket lines are expected to be outside Midlands Metropolitan Hospital, Russells Hall Hospital, New Cross Hospital and Manor Hospital among others.
NHS Trusts across the region will be bracing for the impact of the strike, which has been in the pipeline for weeks, and the BMA and Government locked horns over wages.
Resident doctors are qualified doctors who are in clinical training. They work under the supervision of a senior doctor and, depending on their speciality, can have up to nine years experience working as a hospital doctor, or up to five years experience working to become a GP.
The latest talks between the BMA and Secretary of State for Heath Wes Streeting broke down after the doctor's wage demands were not met.
Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt, co-chairs of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, said: “We have always said that no doctor wants to strike and all it would take to avoid it is a credible path to pay restoration offered by the Government.
“We came to talks in good faith, keen to explore real solutions to the problems facing resident doctors today. Unfortunately, we did not receive an offer that would meet the scale of those challenges."
Secretary Streeting told hospital leaders “we have your backs” ahead of the strike and the public urged to keep coming forward for NHS care during the walkout.
NHS England said hospitals and local teams have been preparing before the strikeand have plans in place to “minimise disruption to patient care and ensure life-saving care continues”.
