Published on: 28 September 2023
Consultant (senior) doctors and junior doctors have voted to take industrial action at NHS Trusts across England, including Trusts serving Derby and Derbyshire.
This will be joint industrial action by consultant doctors and junior doctors from 7am on Monday 2 October to 7am on Thursday 5 October.
While some NHS services – such as community and district nursing services – will be largely unaffected by this industrial action, there may be disruption to other services including hospital services, mental health services and primary care. NHS services in Derby and Derbyshire are also likely to be placed under increased strain because of the industrial action.
Our key messages to people in Derby and Derbyshire are:
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Please use health services wisely during industrial action and take simple steps to help ensure care is available to those who need it most. Please use 111 online as the first port of call for health needs and only using 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency.
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It is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases - when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk. A&E, ambulance and 999 services in Derby and Derbyshire will remain available on all industrial action strike dates.
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Similarly, people in mental health crisis should continue to seek support as normal. Mental health crisis services will be running throughout the period, as will the Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline and Support Service (0800 028 0077). Please be patient when calling the helpline as the helpline team are likely to receive a large number of calls. Find sources of support when someone is in crisis on the emotional health and wellbeing website and the Derbyshire County Council website. Or view our help in a mental health crisis page.
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The NHS will contact you if an appointment needs to be rescheduled due to industrial action. If your appointment needs to be rearranged, NHS staff may try to call you from a withheld number. We understand that it may be frustrating if your appointment needs to be rescheduled, but please show courtesy to the member of staff who is calling you. If you have not been contacted, please attend your appointment as planned.
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GP services are impacted by this strike action but please continue to attend your GP appointments, unless you are contacted and told otherwise.
Latest updates
For the most up-to-date information, please see the NHS England website. Or view the following social media accounts:
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
https://twitter.com/royalhospital
Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust
https://twitter.com/DCHStrust
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
https://twitter.com/derbyshcft
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
https://twitter.com/UHDBTrust
For more information on how the industrial action will impact services across Derby and Derbyshire, visit the Joined Up Care Derbyshire website.
