Advice and guidance during the NHS strikes: 13 – 18 July

There will be a series of industrial strike action between Thursday 13 and Saturday 22 July 2023. Junior doctors will be on strike from 13-18 July, while consultant doctors and dentists will carry out their industrial action between 20 – 22 July. 

The NHS is working hard to prioritise resources to protect emergency treatment, critical care, neonatal care, maternity, and trauma, and ensure it prioritises patients who have waited the longest for elective care and cancer surgery. They will only reschedule appointments and procedures where necessary and will rebook immediately, where possible. Unfortunately, these strikes will have a significant impact upon planned and routine care. 

The NHS is asking patients to choose services appropriately during industrial action and take simple steps to help ensure care is available to patients who need it most. This includes using 111 online as the first port of call for health needs, and only using 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency.

GP practices will continue to be open during the junior doctors and consultants strikes. Please continue to attend your GP and dental appointments, unless you are contacted and told otherwise. 
 

Things to remember during the strikes: 

• Make sure you have ordered and collected any repeat medicines, especially if you are travelling.
• Remember that your first port of call for GP care is your home practice, which will be able to provide online, phone and video consultations as well as arranging for prescriptions to be sent to any pharmacy you choose. 
• Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases - when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk. 
• If 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.
• Patients 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. 
• The NHS is 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.

Follow the links for further information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, via the NHS UK website.