Published on: 11 July 2023
Junior doctors and consultant (senior) doctors have voted to take industrial action at NHS Trusts across England, including Trusts serving Derby and Derbyshire.
Junior doctors who are members of the British Medical Association (BMA), British Dental Association (BDA) and Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association will take part in industrial action from 7am on Thursday 13 July to 7am on Tuesday 18 July. During this time, junior doctors in Derbyshire will have the opportunity and personal choice to go on strike for all or some of the time.
Consultant doctors who are part of the BMA and BDA will take part in industrial action from 7am on Thursday 20 July to 7am on Saturday 22 July.
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.
The NHS in England has issued a warning that the consultants' action from 20 to 22 July will have a “severe impact” on services, “with routine care virtually at a standstill for 48 hours”.
Our key messages to people in Derby and Derbyshire are:
- 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.
- 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 from 13 July to 22 July.
- Similarly, people in mental health crisis should continue to seek support as normal. Mental health crisis services will be running from 13 July to 22 July, as will the Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline and Support Service (0800 028 0077).
- 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.
- 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
