Public urged to support local NHS as latest strikes likely to cause disruption

The NHS in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire is making a fresh appeal for public support ahead of the latest round of strike action by resident doctors working within the region’s already very busy hospitals.

Local health chiefs expect many services, especially those provided at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, the Great Western Hospital in Swindon and Salisbury District Hospital, to be disrupted during the walkout, which is due to begin at 7am on Friday 25 July and last until 7am on Wednesday 30 July.

While urgent and emergency care services, such as A&E departments and ambulances, will continue to operate as normal, other areas of the NHS, including pre-planned surgery and outpatient appointments, are likely to be affected.

People are asked to show support for their NHS by only visiting hospital or calling 999 when it’s a genuine, life-threatening emergency, and to seek health and care support from the other services that will remain available, such as pharmacies and NHS 111.

Dr Barry Coakley, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “Although it’s regrettable to be facing yet another period of industrial action, our local NHS has tried and tested plans in place that will ensure care remains available for those who need it most.

“We’ll be doing all we can to keep services running, and we really need our local communities to do the same.

“By choosing the most appropriate health and care option, which for most minor conditions will often be a combination of self-care and following advice from either NHS 111 or a community pharmacy, people can help keep our hospital waiting rooms free for those most in need.

“We also need people with pre-planned appointments to come in as normal, unless they have specifically been contacted and told otherwise.

“A great deal of planning and effort goes in to keeping as many routine services open as possible during a strike, and it’s so important to everyone involved, not least the patients, that this valuable clinical time is utilised fully.”

While all GP practices will be open as normal throughout the five-day walkout, patients are advised that many surgeries will be busier than normal, as colleagues focus their attention on patients in need of same-day urgent care.

People looking for health and care support during the strikes are encouraged to visit a community pharmacy, which can help with prescriptions and most minor illnesses and injuries, or use NHS 111 online.

By visiting www.111.nhs.uk, people can get tailored health information direct to their phone, tablet or laptop, with the service able to offer simple diagnoses and treatment advice, as well as referrals to face-to-face care in the local area.

Any person in genuine need of emergency care, such as those experiencing severe chest pains, significant bleeding or loss of consciousness, should not put off visiting the nearest hospital emergency department or calling 999.

Further information about all available local health and care services can be found online at www.bsw.icb.nhs.uk.