Junior doctors’ strikes to seriously impact NHS services in Northamptonshire
Strike action from junior doctors is expected to have a serious impact on NHS services across Northamptonshire in the run-up to Christmas and into the new year.
The British Medical Association (BMA) has announced that junior doctors will strike from 7am on Wednesday 20 December until 7am on Saturday 23 December, and then again from 7am on Wednesday 3 January to 7am on Tuesday 9 January.
Local people are being urged to be ready for the impact of the industrial action – which is likely to result in longer waits or delayed treatment – and follow the advice of the NHS to ensure care is available to those who need it most.
Dr Imogen Staveley, Interim Chief Medical Officer for NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board, said: “Junior doctors are qualified doctors with up to eight years’ experience working in hospitals or up to three years in general practice.
“They make up around half of all doctors in the NHS, so while staff will continue to work hard to provide patients with the best possible care during this latest strike action, there is likely to be a significant impact on local services at a time when the NHS is already under severe pressure.
“During these upcoming periods of industrial action, we will be prioritising emergency care, critical care, acute mental health care, neonatal care, maternity and trauma.
“The NHS is asking patients to choose services appropriately and take simple steps to help ensure care is available to patients who need it most. This includes using 111 online as the first port of call for health needs, and only using 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency.
“At this time of year when vulnerable people are particularly at risk from ill-health, we also ask that people do what they can to look after loved ones and check in on family members and neighbours.
“We apologise to local people who are impacted by this action and thank them for their continued co-operation, patience and understanding.”
Options available to patients during strike action:
Patients with urgent health concerns
Anyone who needs urgent care (aged five and over) should use 111.nhs.uk to be assessed and directed to the right care for them. If needed a healthcare professional will call you back and this option can save you time in waiting areas. If you do not have internet access or you are contacting 111 about a patient aged under five, please call 111 instead.
Corby Urgent Care Centre is open every day between 8am and 8pm and can help with minor injuries/ illnesses such as lacerations, sprains, strains, minor burns or scalds.
GP practices will also continue to be open, including the enhanced access service (out of hours) but are also likely to be extremely busy. Please continue to contact your GP practice if you need GP services and the out of hours service can be reached via 111.nhs.uk.
Remember you can also book appointments and order repeat prescriptions online or by using the NHS app.
Patients with minor illnesses and injuries
Your local pharmacy can help with minor illnesses like coughs, colds and red eye. They are open late and no appointment is needed.
Patients who need medical help or advice but are unsure where to go
Patients who need medical help or advice (aged five and over) but are unsure where to go, should contact NHS 111 online unless it unless it is a life-threatening emergency when you should still call 999. If you do not have internet access or you are contacting 111 about a patient aged under five, please call 111 instead.
Patients who have an appointment on strike days
Everyone who has an appointment should attend as planned unless your local NHS provider has contacted you to reschedule. If they have not contacted you, please attend your appointment.
Patients should continue to call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency – when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.
For more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, you can visit the NHS UK website.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do strikes mean for NHS services in my area?
The strikes announced cover junior doctors across the NHS. This means action will impact every hospital in England; including Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.
What does this mean for care?
During these strikes, other doctors (including consultants, GPs and other specialist doctors) will still be working. However, The NHS is working hard to ensure adequate staffing through the entirety of urgent care pathways, urgent elective cases, and other services. However, the disruption to staffing will cause a significant reduction in elective activity and this may mean that some appointments and procedures may need to be rescheduled. We will only reschedule appointments and procedures where necessary and will rebook immediately, where possible. The BMA and HCSA have stated junior doctors will undertake a full withdrawal of labour. The NHS will be working closely with unions to discuss any concerns around patient safety and ensure that safe emergency care continues to be available.
What if I need urgent or emergency care?
Anyone who needs urgent care should use NHS111 online to be assessed and directed to the right care for them. If you do not have internet access, then call 111 helpline is available. When someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk, you should seek emergency care in the normal way, by calling 999.
What does this mean for elective activity?
This level of disruption to staffing will cause a significant reduction in elective activity. Where appropriate, urgent elective surgery, Cardiac, Organ and Corneal transplant, cancer care (particularly for patients who have already been waiting over 62 days, or who are likely to pass day 62 if their appointment needs to be rescheduled), and those who have been waiting the longest should be the final cohorts to be rescheduled.
What about discharge for patients ahead of Christmas?
The NHS and partners are already working hard to discharge patients who are clinically fit and reduce occupancy levels to the extent possible ahead of the Christmas and New Year. The NHS is doing all it can to discharge anyone who is clinically fit. This not only helps patients avoid being in hospital over Christmas and the New Year, it also helps support urgent and emergency care during strike days.
Can the NHS provide safe services during strikes?
The NHS is working hard to minimise the risk to patient safety. This means we will prioritise resources to protect emergency treatment, critical care, neonatal care, maternity, and trauma, and ensure we prioritise patients who have waited the longest for elective care and cancer surgery. We will only reschedule appointments and procedures where it is necessary and will rebook immediately, where possible. Unfortunately, these strikes will have a significant impact upon planned and routine care.
What will this mean for appointments?
During strike action we will prioritise emergency treatment and patients seeking urgent treatment will be seen. Unfortunately, this means we may have to prioritise emergency care over some routine appointments and procedures. Everyone who has an appointment should attend as planned, unless your local NHS provider has contacted you to reschedule. If we have not contacted you, please attend your appointment even if your Trust is affected by strikes.
Will emergency care be affected on strike days?
Emergency care will continue to be available across all parts of the country. It is really important that in emergency and life-threatening cases - when someone is seriously ill, or their life is at risk patients continue to come forward as normal.
When will I find out if my appointment is rescheduled?
The NHS will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled due to strike action. This is likely to be a text, phone call or a letter and you should be offered an alternative date for your appointment. If we have not contacted you, please attend your appointment as planned.
If my appointment is rescheduled, will I be put back to the bottom of the waiting list?
Any appointments that need to be rescheduled will be done so as a priority.
Should I cancel my appointment on the day of strikes?
No, if we have not contacted you, please attend your appointment as planned.
Is there anything I should do now?
To avoid delays in getting your medicines or the risk of running out of medicines during strikes please order prescriptions in good time.
I have a loved one who will be a hospital inpatient on strike day – how will their care be affected?
All hospital inpatients will be informed of how their care will be impacted on a ward-by-ward basis by the staff involved in delivering their care.
Will GP services be affected on strike days?
GP practices will continue to be open during the junior doctors strike. Please continue to attend your GP unless you are contacted and told otherwise.
Will dentists be impacted?
Please continue to attend any dental appointments unless you are contacted and told otherwise.
What is considered an emergency?
Patients should only call 999 if seriously ill or injured, and there is risk to life. Ambulances will be dispatched where clinically appropriate.
How long will services be impacted?
The joint strike action by junior doctors in December will last for 72 hours.
Could union members still go out on strike in a trust that has no official industrial action mandated?
Action can only be taken where the employer has been notified of strike action by the union after a ballot authorising such action at that employer. It’s unlawful to take part in ‘secondary action’ (going on strike in sympathy with people who work for a different employer).
Can staff working in a derogated area still strike?
Union members in derogated areas can still take strike action and will be protected against dismissal. Derogations are an informal agreement between unions and employers and are not legally enforceable.
However, derogations are negotiated for areas providing critical patient care. Those refusing to work in derogated services can be advised they may be committing a criminal offence if their strike action has the potential to endanger human life or cause serious bodily injury and that they should seek advice from their union.
What rights do non-union staff have who take industrial action?
Non-union members who take part in legal, official industrial action at their employing organisation have the same rights as union members not to be dismissed as a result of taking action.