Published on: 9 March 2023
Junior doctors who are members of the British Medical Association (BMA) and Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) have voted to take industrial action at NHS Trusts across England, including Trusts serving Derby and Derbyshire.
The first round of industrial action will take place for 72 hours consecutively between 7am on Monday 13 March and 7am on Thursday 16 March 2023.
Our key messages to people in Derby and Derbyshire:
- Please use health services wisely during industrial action and take simple steps to help ensure care is available to those who need it most. Please use 111 online as the first port of call for health needs and only using 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency.
- It is important that anyone who needs urgent medical care continues to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases – for example, when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk. A&E, ambulance and 999 services in Derby and Derbyshire will remain available from 13 to 16 March.
- Similarly, people in mental health crisis should continue to seek support as normal. Mental health crisis services will be running from 13 to 16 March, as will the Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline and Support Service (freephone 0800 028 0077).
- The NHS will contact you if an appointment needs to be rescheduled due to industrial action. If your appointment needs to be rearranged, NHS staff may try to call you from a withheld number. If you have not been contacted, please attend your appointment as planned.
- GP services are impacted by this strike action but please continue to attend your GP appointments, unless you are contacted and told otherwise.
"Severe pressure"
NHS national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said: "Emergency departments remain under severe pressure and, while we are prioritising urgent and critical care, it's important to remember that GP surgeries and pharmacies are largely unaffected and that 111 online can help with many non-urgent needs.
"Some hospitals even saw their busiest Monday of the year so far for A&E attendance as the strike got underway, which presents a major challenge as our staff continue to do all they can to mitigate the impact of the industrial action for patients.
"As we see the impact of the most significant strike disruption in the history of the NHS, we're really grateful to the public for using services appropriately.
"If you need emergency care, please continue to call 999, and please do attend any GP or hospital appointments unless contacted otherwise. But the public can help us ensure that care can be delivered to those that need it most over the next 48 hours by using 999 and A&E in life-threatening emergencies only, and using NHS 111 online or calling 111 for non-urgent needs."
For more information about NHS services during the industrial action, please visit the NHS England website.
