Information for patients: upcoming resident doctor industrial action
Some resident doctors across the NHS including those at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, are planning to take part in strike action from 7am on Friday 25 July to 7am on Wednesday 30 July.
While we are doing all we can to protect services so that they continue to run as smoothly as possible, we are sorry for any impact or delays experienced by patients during the industrial action. Please be assured our staff are still here for you should you need to access care.
Attending appointments at our hospitals
Our teams are working hard to minimise the impact for our patients, and appointments will only be rearranged if absolutely necessary.
If you have an appointment at one of our hospitals during the period of industrial action, and we haven’t contacted you, please attend as normal.
If your appointment is impacted, we will contact you directly by calling you or sending a text message and work with you to re-arrange your appointment. Sometimes phone calls from our hospital phone lines can appear as 'private or withheld' numbers. If you have already booked NHS patient transport services, please remember to cancel your booking in good time. We appreciate that changes to appointments can be frustrating. Our teams are working hard to ensure that they can reschedule appointments as soon as possible, and we appreciate the support from our patients during this time
We will make every effort to ensure that you are informed of any changes to your appointment, however there may be instances where this may not be possible.
Accessing urgent and emergency care
Throughout the strike period, as always, it is important that everyone who needs urgent medical attention continues to access NHS services. If you are suffering with symptoms of life-threatening or serious conditions, such as heart attacks and strokes, please call 999 or visit A&E. If you need care for a minor injury or illness, such as broken bones, sprains, minor infections, cuts and more, you will always be seen faster at an Urgent Treatment Centre or Minor Injuries Unit than a busy A&E.
You can find more information, including live waiting times, for these centres on our website here >
NHS 111 online and phone services remain available if you are unsure about where to receive care or need advice regarding your health. GP practices will continue to be open during the resident doctors strike. Please continue to attend your GP and dental appointments, unless you are contacted and told otherwise.
Ahead of industrial action, please read the following advice if you are travelling to other parts of the country:
• If you’re staying in England and are away from home and need a GP appointment for routine treatment, please call your own surgery. If you need a prescription, they can send it to any pharmacy you choose.
• Make sure you have enough of your prescribed medications. You can easily order repeat prescriptions via the NHS App, through your GP practice website or, if you do not have access to GP online services, by calling your GP practice.
• Ensure you have a fully stocked first aid kit at home or with you, find out what you need on the NHS England website >.