Published on: 22 February 2024
The NHS across Herefordshire and Worcestershire will be significantly impacted throughout the strike action due to take place later this week 24-28 February.
This will result in serious challenges for all NHS services in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Will Taylor said: “We are working closely with our partners to make sure patients can access the care they need, in a safe environment, during industrial action.”
Healthcare leaders across the two counties are asking local people to think carefully about the services they use during the period and to be proactive to avoid preventable illness to ensure emergency services are there for those who need them.
Dr Julian Berlet, acting joint Chief Medical Officer, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: “With strikes taking place for a five-day period, we are expecting services to be under increased pressure. Our Emergency Department team will be working exceptionally hard prioritising patients with life or limb threatening injury and illness to provide lifesaving care for those patients in the greatest need. Patients whose condition is less serious may be asked to seek treatment elsewhere or face an extremely long wait.
“If your condition is less serious you can call 111 or visit 111 online, which is a free NHS Service. They can quickly direct you to the right health service, including out of hours GP appointments. Pharmacists can also help with a range of common conditions and minor injuries.
“Local people can play their part to help reduce pressures on services by only using 999 and A&E for genuine life-threatening emergencies and using NHS 111 online or by phone for other care needs or if you’re unsure about whether you should go to hospital.”
Dr James Bartlett, Clinical Director, Acute and Emergency Medicine, Wye Valley NHS Trust, said: “We’re doing all we can to ensure we provide safe services during the industrial action this week.
“We’re expecting it to be very busy and we can only do so much. We really are appealing for people to help us by choosing wisely and only visit our Emergency Department if they are seriously sick. There are alternatives and we’d urge people to consider these.”
“If you have an appointment, please continue to come forward for the care you need. Please don’t call to check if your hospital appointment is going ahead, you’ll be contacted directly if it needs to be rearranged.”
During strike action the NHS will prioritise resources to protect emergency treatment, critical care, neonatal care, and trauma, and ensure we prioritise patients who have waited the longest for elective care and cancer surgery. Appointments will only be cancelled where it is necessary and will be rescheduled immediately, where possible. If you have an appointment, please attend unless you are contacted.
NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year online at 111.nhs.uk or by calling 111 for any urgent but not life-threatening medical needs. Trained advisers can direct people to the best possible care for their needs, including arranging an out-of-hours GP appointment or an appointment time to attend A&E or a Minor Injury Unit.
