Healthcare advice during the November resident doctors’ strike
During these strikes, all other NHS staff (including consultants and other specialist doctors) will still be working, and the focus of the NHS will be on ensuring as many services as possible continue to operate safely.
You should attend any planned medical appointments as normal. The NHS will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled.
Regardless of the resident doctors’ strikes, it’s really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk. GP practices are not affected by the strikes and will be open as normal. Their core opening hours are Monday to Friday from 8am to 6:30pm, excluding bank holidays.
If you need help quickly, but it isn’t life-threatening – including during the strikes:
- Step 1: Try to manage the problem yourself or get help from a local pharmacy, NHS 111 online, or the NHS App.
- Step 2: If that doesn’t work, or the problem is more serious, contact your GP practice or NHS 111 (when your GP practice is closed). They will help book you the right appointment in the right place. This could be at your own GP practice, a pharmacy (through the Pharmacy First scheme), an urgent treatment centre, or another GP practice or health centre (during evenings, weekends and bank holidays).
If it’s a life-threatening emergency, you should go to the emergency department or call 999. If you go to the emergency department and it isn’t the right place for you, you may be asked to use another service instead.
In a mental health crisis, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option, or visit a Neighbourhood Mental Health Cafe. You can also text 0748 063 5199 for a response within four hours.
