Patients in the Black Country are being reminded that the NHS will still be available for urgent and emergency care this week, but are being asked to use services wisely.
Junior doctors are expected to go on strike for four days from 7am on Tuesday 11 April to 7am Saturday 15 April, which comes straight after a bank holiday weekend where health services are often busier than normal.
All health and care partners in the Black Country are working together to prepare for the industrial action and are asking the public for their support.
Emergency care will be prioritised and people are being reminded that 999 and emergency departments are still the right services if it is a life-saving emergency.
However, for anything that isn’t life-threatening, people are being urged to use 111 online as the first port of call for health needs. People can also call 111 for help, advice, and signposting to the most appropriate service.
Pharmacies, GP appointments, walk-in centres, minor injury units and urgent treatment centres will continue to be available during the industrial action and can help people with a range of injuries and illnesses.
People with hospital appointments should continue to come forward for the care they need and do not need to call to check if appointments are going ahead. If appointments do need to be rearranged due to strike action, patients will be contacted directly.
Sally Roberts, Chief Nursing Officer for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board, said: “Patient safety is our absolute priority and health and care partners across the Black Country are working together to ensure that despite significant disruption, essential urgent and emergency care services will still be available for patients who need it most.
“It is really important that anyone who needs urgent medical care continues to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases. However, if is non-life threatening, please think about which is the most appropriate service for your needs.
“If you need medical help or advice, you should contact NHS 111 in the first instance, and they will direct you to the most appropriate service for advice or treatment. This could include your local pharmacy, GP or a local NHS walk-in centre.
“By ensuring you choose the most appropriate service, this will help NHS services to manage demand and ensure A&E departments can focus on treating people with serious and life-threatening conditions.
“We’d like to thank the public for all their support, and we are also incredibly grateful to all of our hard-working staff and volunteers as they work to keep patients safe during this busy period.”
Dr Jonathan Odum, Group Chief Medical Officer for The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “Our junior doctors are an essential and highly valued part of the NHS, encompassing a wide range of experience and specialism, and delivering around 70 per cent of all frontline patient care that is provided by doctors in hospitals.
“This strike action follows the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, when the NHS would usually see increased demand on urgent and emergency care services, so local hospitals are expecting to be under significant pressure.
“I would like to thank all the NHS colleagues who are working hard to keep essential services running and ensure patients continue to receive safe, effective, and high-quality care. I would encourage the public to help us at this time by using the right NHS service for your level of need – you can get advice on where to go by visiting NHS 111 online or calling 111.”
NHS 111 can help if you have an urgent medical problem and you’re not sure what to do. You can contact the service online 111.nhs.uk or by calling 111, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Pharmacists can also offer expert advice on lots of common conditions such as coughs, colds, aches, and pains. To find your local pharmacy, visit the NHS website here.
People should only call 999 if it is a medical emergency.
