A message for our patients
Resident doctors (formerly known as junior doctors) in England are set to go on strike. The action is part of an ongoing dispute with the government over pay, conditions and employment.
The strike is due to run from 7am on Tuesday 7 April until 6.59am on Monday 13 April.
Industrial action comes at a very real cost to patients and the rest of our workforce, so there may be some disruption for our patients – and staff, too.
The strike action comes as the NHS is coming out of a challenging winter period. The timing of the walkout also falls during the Easter holiday period when many of our team members planned to take some well-deserved time to rest and recover with their families.
Interim ESNEFT Chief Executive Adrian Marr said: “We have tried and tested plans in place to manage industrial action at ESNEFT.
“Our focus, as always, is to make sure patients and services in our hospitals are safe and the quality of care we give during this time is as good as it can be.
“We will only cancel appointments where it is necessary. We hope to maintain as many services as we can, so unless you hear from us, please continue to attend your outpatient appointment, diagnostic test or your operation as planned. We will contact you if anything changes.
“However, we know strikes come with a cost. We will rearrange new dates for any cancelled appointments and procedures as quickly as possible.
“Regardless of any strike action taking place, you must continue to come forward for urgent medical care as normal. This is especially important when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.”
Please choose services appropriately during industrial action. Taking simple steps to make sure care is available to patients who need it most will help. This includes using 111 online as the first port of call for health needs and only using 999 if it is a serious or life-threatening emergency.
For more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, you can visit the NHS website.
Community services, like GPs and pharmacies, will be open as usual for help and advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is happening?
Resident doctors who are members of the BMA have voted to take strike action. We and other NHS employers have been formally notified of a period of strike action beginning at 7am on 7 April until 7am on 13 April.
What do strikes mean for NHS services in my area?
The strikes announced cover resident doctors across the NHS. This means action will impact every hospital in England. We are working hard to minimise the impact this action has on patients, but this will inevitably cause disruption during the strike period, and is likely to have a longer term impact on our services due to the additional resources required to keep services going safely. Thanks to the actions of NHS staff during the period of industrial action in December, and specifically the willingness of many colleagues – including many resident doctors – to work extra shifts, the NHS managed to keep almost 95% [94.7%] of planned routine care going. This was followed by a remarkable effort that saw the NHS discharge thousands of patients so they could be at home over Christmas.
What does this mean for care?
We all know that industrial action comes at a very real cost to patients and the rest of the workforce and this round of action comes as the NHS is managing the busy winter period. During these strikes, all other NHS staff (including consultants, GPs and other specialist doctors) will still be working. The NHS is working hard to minimise the impact on patients and make sure there are safe levels of staffing in key services patients need. However, we know from previous strikes that there will be t disruption, and we will make sure patients and the local community know how this might affect them.
What if I need urgent or emergency care?
Anyone who needs urgent care should use NHS111 online or through the NHS App to be assessed and directed to the right care for them. If you do not have internet access, then the free, 24/7 111 phone line is also 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 pre-planned appointments, tests and procedures?
We are working hard to minimise the impact on planned care. Patients with appointments booked on strike days will be contacted if their appointment needs to be rescheduled due to industrial action. If they have not been contacted, they should attend their appointment as planned.
Can the NHS provide safe services during strikes?
The NHS is working hard to minimise the risk to patient safety and has in place a clinically led process and where any safety issues identified can be raised with the BMA quickly. It’s important that patients do not put off seeking urgent care, or not attend planned appointments unless they have been told otherwise.
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.
We will be doing everything possible to minimise the number of patients who have planned care disrupted, so it may be the case that you do not receive very much notice of a postponement. We apologise for this unavoidable inconvenience. 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?
Please order any prescriptions you might need in good time to avoid delays in getting your medicines or the risk of running out of medicines during strikes.
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 resident doctors strikes. Resident doctors who train in GP practices, known as GP registrars, may take strike action. While they are an important part of the practice team, the effective running of the practice is not dependent on them as they are considered supernumerary to the workforce of the practice. Please continue to attend your GP and dental appointments, 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. For more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, you can visit the NHS UK website.
Could other staff members strike/could resident doctors strike in a trust that has no official industrial action mandate?
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 others). Information is available here on the rights of staff around taking industrial action.
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 resident doctors who are not members of the BMA have to 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.
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