South East residents reminded the NHS is there for you but please use wisely during resident doctor strike action
Residents in the South East of England are being urged to use NHS 111 online for all non-emergency healthcare needs as five days of industrial action by resident doctors begins.
The NHS is facing another significant round of industrial action with the strike running from 7am Friday 25 July through to 7am on Wednesday 30 July, with thousands of resident doctors expected to walk out across the country.
Hospitals and local teams have been preparing as usual ahead of this latest round of potential strikes and have plans in place to minimise disruption to patient care and ensure life-saving care continues.
This will be the twelfth strike from resident doctors since March 2023, resulting in 49 days of disruption to NHS services – equivalent to almost ten working weeks of industrial action over this period.
Work is ongoing to keep as many routine procedures and appointments booked as possible, while ensuring patient safety, as the NHS looks to try to prevent mass cancellations and the impact this will have on the waiting list.
The public should use 111 online as the first port of call for urgent but not life-threatening issues during industrial action so that they can be directed to the best place for their needs. Patients who need medical care should continue to use 999 or come forward to A&E as normal.
Dr Christopher Tibbs, Medical Director for the NHS in the South East, said:
“It’s regrettable that this industrial action is going ahead, and we recognise the strain it places on both NHS staff and patients.
“Some appointments will inevitably be affected, but trusts across the region are working incredibly hard to minimise disruption and ensure care continues where possible.
“I’d like to thank all those who will be working extra hours to maintain the service over the next five days and we encourage patients to access NHS services as normal.
“In an emergency, always call 999. For non-urgent needs, use NHS 111 online, speak to your pharmacist or contact your GP. Unless notified otherwise, patients should attend their scheduled appointments.”