Junior Doctors' strike: NHS patients urged to choose healthcare services wisely ahead of strike action

Junior Doctors across England will take strike action from Friday 11 August until Tuesday 15 August, as announced by the British Medical Association (BMA).

Due to this industrial action, the Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, is urging the local population to continue to consider the service that is right for them to ensure they get timely treatment for their condition by the appropriate medical professional.

Dr Sarah Robertshaw, Consultant in Emergency Medicine at the Trust said:

During the strike action we are asking people to remember that A&E is not your only choice. Our services are here for people with medical emergencies, such as heart attacks, strokes, severe difficult breathing, or major injury and trauma.

If you choose to attend our A&Es where your condition is not serious or life-threatening, you may be asked to go elsewhere to seek support or you may have a very long wait for treatment.

Medical conditions that are not an emergency can be treated by other healthcare providers such as your GPs or local pharmacies. These services will be able to provide you with advice and treatment or direct you to the appropriate place of care, based upon your needs. Please choose wisely and do all that you can to help us, help you, when you have a critical need.

For more information on when to go to A&E, please visit the NHS UK website.

If you have an urgent medical problem that isn’t an emergency, and aren’t sure what to do, contact NHS 111 first by phone or online.

In addition to NHS 111, patients in Wakefield can get face-to-face GP appointments for urgent problems and book routine appointments in advance, for when their own GP practice is closed through the GP Care Wakefield service.

The service is available between 5pm and 9.30pm on weekdays; 9am and 5pm on Saturdays; and 9am and 3pm on Sundays and bank holidays. All you need to do is contact your own practice telephone number, at any time of day and you will get through to the right service.

King Street Walk in Centre, Wakefield, is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, between 10am and 10pm.

GP surgeries in Kirklees offer appointments until 8pm on weekdays, and between 9am-5pm on Saturdays. Some appointments may be at a nearby surgery rather than your usual GP practice. You can book appointments, arrange medication, and access advice online, check your GP practice website for details.

You can also call into your local pharmacy for expert advice on many common illnesses such as headaches, sore throats and aches and pains, and there is no need to book an appointment. Visit togetherwe-can.com for advice to help you choose the right service.

Regardless of any strike action taking place, if you are a patient who needs urgent care for emergency and life-threatening cases continue to come forward as normal.

If you have an appointment at one of three Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust hospitals’, please attend unless you hear directly from the Trust. All appointments will be rearranged directly with the patient and/or carer, if needed.

Thank you for your understanding.