The NHS faces more disruption this week, with consultants beginning strike action tomorrow (19 September) and being joined by junior doctors on Wednesday (20 September).
On Wednesday, junior doctors and consultants will provide Christmas Day levels of staffing, which means only emergency care will be covered. This is the first time junior doctors and consultants have taken industrial action at the same time, with thousands of appointments likely to be rescheduled as a result. Industrial action by junior doctors in London in July saw nearly 30,000 planned appointments cancelled or postponed and more than 3,000 staff on strike each day.
The NHS in London is keen to stress that emergency care continues to be prioritised during the strikes and people should still call 999 in life-threatening emergencies and contact NHS 111 for other health concerns.
NHS London medical director for system improvement and professional standards Dr Helene Brown said: This latest strike by junior doctors is likely to have a significant impact on a wide range of services, with thousands of appointments postponed. The impact of this is exacerbated by the fact that this week sees the first time ever that consultants are striking at the same time.
“It’s really important that people attend their booked appointment, unless they have heard from their hospital direct to say it is not going ahead.
“People should continue to use emergency services when needed and NHS 111 online for queries that are not urgent. GPs and pharmacies also continue to be open and able to offer care and advice”.
