Junior doctors strike: hospitals in and around Birmingham share advice

Junior doctors in and around Birmingham have gone on strike and hospitals have shared advice for patients who might need to access medical care. The strikes are over pay and the British Medical Association said junior doctors have faced a cut of more than 25% to their salaries since 2008/09.

The doctors are seeking for full pay restoration but the Government continues to refuse to negotiate with the BMA over this, the association said.

Junior doctors will be striking for 96 hours, from Tuesday 11 April at 06:59 to Saturday 15 April at 06:59. It has affected University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB), Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust (SWB), and Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust.

The hospitals under UHB are Good Hope Hospital, Heartlands Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham and Solihull Hospital.

UHB shares advice

Regardless of any industrial 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.

UHB added: “We are doing everything we can to go ahead with planned procedures and appointments. Patient safety is our top priority.

“If we have not already contacted you, please attend your appointment as planned. We will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled, due to industrial action, and will look to reschedule it as soon as possible. We understand that this is a worrying time for you and are very sorry for any additional worry, or distress, this may cause.”

Their emergency departments (A&Es) are open, but waiting times may be longer than normal. The NHS trust added: “Please do attend your nearest emergency department, if you need emergency care. We will be seeing patients in order of clinical priority – those with emergency and very urgent conditions will be seen first.”

They also said that if it is appropriate consider using other non-hospital services including pharmacies, urgent treatment centres and your GP.

SWB shares advice

The NHS Trust said: “You will be contacted if your appointment needs to be changed during this period. Please continue to come forward for the care you need.”

What Dudley Group said

The NHS Trust said: “We have been working with senior clinicians and managers at the Trust on contingency plans to maintain safe services during the junior doctors’ industrial action.

“Please attend your appointment as usual unless you have been contacted to say it needs to be rearranged. Please seek the care you need during industrial action and use services wisely by going to NHS 111 online as the first port of call. Call 999 in a life-threatening emergency.”

During strike action they will prioritise resources to protect emergency treatment, critical care, neonatal care and trauma, and ensure they prioritise patients who have waited the longest for elective care and cancer surgery. They will only cancel appointments and procedures where it is necessary and will reschedule immediately, where possible.