Trust’s plan of action to minimise disruption to patients from junior doctors’ strike - Tuesday 12th January 2016

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The Trust has put plans in place to minimise disruption for patients and to maintain safe levels of patient care during the proposed junior doctors’ industrial action. 

Normally there would be 44 junior doctors working on the 12th January and we expect three quarters of those to be on strike and providing emergency cover only. We would like to reassure our patients and the public that our team of Consultant doctors and surgeons will be working on the strike day providing clinical care for patients in place of the juniors. 

Despite the strike we’re still running 100 Outpatients appointments on the day. Inevitably, we have had to rearrange appointments and elective surgery but have already contacted patients’ who are affected. So we are advising patients that if you have an appointment on the day and you haven’t heard from us please keep your appointment as normal. 

We would like to offer our apologies to anyone affected. We will be rescheduling these cancelled appointments as quickly as possible. 

Please follow Weston General Hospital’s Twitter account @WestonNHS and our website for updates about the industrial action and for advice on services.

Services that will be open and running as normal

  • Ashcombe Birth Centre (including all clinics and women who are in labour)
  • Oncology Day Unit
  • Seashore Paediatric Centre
  • Specialist Community Children’s Services
  • Therapy clinics (Dietetics, speech and language therapy)
  • Rheumatology
  • WISH Sexual Health Centre
  • Orthopaedic Fracture clinic
  • Radiography (X-Ray)
  • ITU (Intensive Therapy Unit)
  • Emergency Department

Our Emergency Department will be open as normal but we are asking the public to help us cope by only coming to our Emergency Department on the strike day if you have an urgent medical problem that cannot be treated elsewhere. 

If you think you have a minor illness or injury, please see your GP, pharmacist, or call the NHS on 111. They will be able to signpost you to the best place for treatment. 

Reacting to the strike announcement, Sheridan Flavin, Director of Human Resources said: “We’re working hard to minimise disruption and to make sure our patients are safely cared for during the industrial action. 

“The Trust remains in a neutral position on the dispute. We urge both parties to continue negotiating to reach a mutually acceptable agreement as industrial action remains an undesirable outcome for all those involved.” 

NOTES TO EDITORS 

  • We have cancelled approximately 130 outpatient appointments
  • We have cancelled 29 elective operations.
  • Weston Area Health NHS Trust will not be paying junior doctors who take industrial action. Junior doctors who are providing Emergency Care on the 12th January will be at work and paid as normal. Junior doctors who are scheduled to work but taking strike action will have their shift pay deducted from their salary.
  • Consultants and nurses will provide the same care and services as junior doctors in the areas affected by industrial action.