GP surgeries across Calderdale may be affected by the upcoming junior doctor strike from 7am on Thursday 13 to 7am on Tuesday 18 July.
On 20 and 21 July, consultant doctors and dentists will also be taking industrial action.
This will affect every hospital and mental health trust in West Yorkshire, as well as many GP practices and some dental service.
Junior doctors make around half of all doctors in the NHS. Junior doctors are qualified doctors who have anywhere up to eight years’ experience working as a hospital doctor, depending on their specialty, or up to three years in general practice.
NHS teams across Calderdale continue to work hard to minimise disruption from the industrial action but it is expected that there will be a significant impact on local health services.
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.
During strike days, it is likely 999 call handlers will be very busy. NHS 111 call centres will have fewer staff, with longer call response times expected across the system. As a result, we are urging anyone with non-urgent care need to first seek help from NHS 111 online.
A range of local services will continue to be available to meet your healthcare needs during the industrial action, including GP practices and community pharmacies, though these services will also be impacted by strike action.
Visit NHS111 online or call 111 to get assessed and directed to the right place for you.
If you’re worried about your child’s health, you can find online healthcare advice recommended by local healthcare professionals at wyhealthiertogether.nhs.uk
You can also call into your local pharmacy for expert advice on many common illnesses such as headaches, sore throats and aches and pains, and there is no need to book an appointment.
The NHS is also asking the public to play their part by taking simple steps during industrial action to look after themselves, loved ones and checking in on vulnerable family members and neighbours.
For information about a range of local services, including mental health support, please visit togetherwe-can.com
FAQs
What if I need urgent or emergency care?
Anyone who needs urgent care should use NHS111 online to be assessed and directed to the right care for them. If you do not have internet access, then 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 strikes a Christmas day level of service will be provided, meaning emergency care will continue to be available. 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, health services have worked 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, staff may have to be moved from other departments within a hospital to ensure emergency care can continue to be provided. Unfortunately, this could mean disruption to some routine appointments and procedures.
What will this mean for appointments?
During strike action emergency treatment will be prioritised and patients seeking urgent treatment will be seen. Unfortunately, this means emergency care may have to prioritised 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 they have not contacted you, please attend your appointment even if your Trust is affected by strikes.
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.
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 you have not been contacted, 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 you have not been contacted, please attend your appointment as planned.
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?
Junior doctors strikes may impact some appointments. 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 on trainee contracts or 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.
How long will services be impacted?
The junior doctors strikes by members of the British Medical Association, BDA and HCSA will last for 120 hours. The BMA and BDA consultants strike will last for 48 hours.