Public support sought ahead of industrial action

A fresh appeal for public support has been made ahead of the latest round of strike action by resident doctors.

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: “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.”

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.