Get the help you need during the current industrial action

We expect all NHS services to be extremely busy during industrial action by junior doctors, from 20-23 December and from 3-9 January. Please help us to help you by seeking advice from the most appropriate service for your needs.

For many minor illnesses, you can look after yourself or a loved one at home. You can prepare to care for yourself or loved ones by keeping a range of simple medicines and first aid supplies at home. Check the advice on nhs.uk on what you might keep in a first aid kit at home (and remember always to keep it locked and out of the reach of children!)

Your local pharmacy is an excellent source of health advice from trained, professional staff, who can recommend remedies for a wide range of illnesses and injuries. You can walk in for instant help.

Your general practice will, in most cases, be open as usual throughout the strike action, but is likely to be very busy. Please help the doctors, nurses and other staff by remaining calm and courteous even when they are not able to respond to you immediately. In October 2023 our practices offered over 42,000 more appointments than in October 2022.

Out of hours, if you think you may need to speak to a doctor or nurse, please visit 111 Online and provide details of your symptoms.  They will direct you to the most appropriate place, either straight away or during normal opening hours, and will arrange for someone to call you to get more details if necessary.

Please don’t go to A&E unless it’s a genuine emergency which threatens life or limb.  The accident and emergency department will be even busier than usual at the current time. By attending only in an emergency, you can help us to ensure that care goes to those who most need it.

If you need immediate care for an illness or injury which is a threat to life or limb then please call 999 as usual.

Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and serious, life-threatening cases.

If you have a hospital or other appointment, we will let you know if it has to be postponed to a later date; we will usually offer you an alternative date in this case. Please attend as planned unless you are advised otherwise via text, phone call, letter or email.