Health advice during the industrial action in October and frequently asked questions

Further coordinated junior doctor and consultants industrial action is planned for early October across three days (2 to 4 October).

Some hospital appointments and planned treatment may need to be rearranged. Healthcare teams will contact people as soon as possible if your appointment needs to be changed. If you do not hear from your healthcare team your appointment will be going ahead as planned.

Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is important that people who need urgent medical care continue to come forward, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases – when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.

If you need medical help or advice, or you are unsure about whether you should go to hospital, go to NHS 111 online unless it is a life-threatening emergency when you should still call 999.

People should only call 999 if it is a medical or mental health emergency (when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk). They should take advice from 111 / 999 call-handlers on whether there are circumstances where it is suitable for them to make their own way to hospital.

A range of local services will continue to be available to meet your healthcare needs during the industrial action, including GP practices, and other healthcare services include:

• GP Care Wakefield service – available between 5pm and 9.30pm on weekdays; 9am and 5pm on Saturdays; and 9am and 1pm on Sundays and 9am and 3pm on bank holidays. All you need to do is contact your own practice telephone number, at any time of day and you will get through to the right service.
• King Street Walk in Centre, Wakefield, is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, between the hours of 10am and 10pm.
• West Yorkshire Healthier Together website, online healthcare advice recommended by local healthcare professionals, if you’re worried about your child’s health wyhealthiertogether.nhs.uk
• Your local pharmacy for expert advice on many common illnesses such as headaches, sore throats and aches and pains.

For information about a range of local services, including mental health support, please visit www.wakefielddistricthcp.co.uk/local-services/choose-the-right-service

Frequently asked questions

What is happening?

Trade unions representing some NHS staff are in dispute with the government over the 2022/23 pay award. A number of the unions have balloted their NHS members to take part in industrial action. As a result, members of the following unions are striking on the dates listed below:

• 2 October – From 07.00, British Medical Association (BMA) consultants and BMA junior doctors out on strike
• 3 October All day, BMA consultants and BMA junior doctors and Society of Radiographers (SoR) out on strike
• 4 October All day, BMA consultants, junior doctors and SoR out on strike
• 5 October Until 07.00, BMA consultants and junior doctors on strike

What do strikes mean for NHS services in my area?

Not every hospital and ambulance service will be affected by strike action. You can check which trusts are affected on each trade union’s website:

• Unite
• Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association
• British Medical Association junior doctors
• BMA consultants
• British Dental Association junior doctors
• BDA consultants
• Society of Radiographers

What if I need urgent or emergency care?

Anyone who needs urgent care should use NHS 111 online to be assessed and directed to the right care for them. If you do not have internet access, then the 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.

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.

BMA has said that during consultant and junior doctor strikes a Christmas day level of service will be provided meaning emergency care will still be provided.

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.

If staff are out on strike what does it mean for emergency care?

In advance of strike action, we work with unions to agree which members of staff can continue to work to ensure safe levels of care. These agreements are called derogations and often mean that some health union members will continue their work in line with an agreement between employers and unions. Where derogations have not been agreed, we may have to move staff from other departments within a hospital to ensure we can continue to provide emergency care.

Unfortunately, this could mean disruption to some routine appointments and procedures.

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.

What should I do if I need an ambulance?

Patients should only call 999 if seriously ill or injured, and there is risk to life. Ambulances will be dispatched where clinically appropriate.

For all other health care needs, support will be available through NHS111 online (if you do not have internet access then 111 helpline is available) or at your local GP or pharmacy.

Will GP services be affected on strike days?

GP practices will continue to be open during consultant strikes. Please continue to attend your GP appointments, unless you are contacted and told otherwise.

Will dentists be impacted?

The British Dental Association has advised that some of their members who work in hospitals as consultants will take action. However, the vast majority of dentists (those not based in hospitals) will not 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 and consultants in October will last for 72 hours. In addition, Society of Radiographers members will be taking strike action for 24 hours in October.