Junior doctors in Herefordshire will take part in a strike today (Tuesday, April 26th) and tomorrow (Wednesday, April 27th). Health and care organisations across the county have put in place robust plans to protect the safety, welfare and service provided to patients, during the junior doctors’ strike this week.

However, as the strike will put extra pressure on services which are currently experiencing high demand, health bosses are urging people to use the NHS wisely on the two days of strike action. The strike will include withdrawal of cover in Emergency Departments.

The dispute is in relation to the Government’s response to pay and terms and conditions for junior doctors. It is not a dispute with NHS Trusts as an employer.

Dr Susan Gilby, medical director at Wye Valley NHS Trust, said: “Essential care will be provided by senior staff so patients in need of urgent and emergency care will continue to receive the treatment they need, when they need it.

“However, some services will need to change and some are likely to be busier than normal. We are therefore asking people to help the NHS prioritise the sickest patients by choosing the right service and attending the Emergency Department only if it is essential.

“The message is clear: The NHS is open for business, but we’re asking local people to use it wisely at this very challenging time as some services may change and some may be busier than usual.”

NHS England has created a new dedicated webpage for patient information about the strike - it can viewed by visitingwww.nhs.uk/strike

Locally, hospital managers, along with their senior clinical leaders, have developed robust plans to ensure all inpatients, including those in the delivery/maternity ward, as well as urgent admissions and emergency department patients, are looked after safely and appropriately during the strike.

“We have unfortunately had to postpone around 490 clinic appointments and 77 operations/procedures. However, we’ve planned ahead by scheduling fewer appointments and procedures to keep postponements to a minimum.

“We apologise to patients for any inconvenience caused and we have contacted patients whose procedure or appointment has been postponed”.

Simon Hairsnape, accountable officer at Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “We’re working very closely with Wye Valley NHS Trust to ensure that the Trust continues to provide the majority of patient services as ‘business as usual’ while maintaining patient safety.

“However, we are calling on local residents to consider NHS alternatives for minor injuries and illnesses, to avoid unnecessary longer waits in the Emergency Department.

“People can access advice from local pharmacies, GPs, GP extended opening hours service, Herefordshire Walk in Centre on Belmont Road, minor injury units, or call NHS 111 for non urgent health advice”.

NHS alternatives:

• Call NHS 111

• Herefordshire Walk-In Centre, by ASDA, Belmont Road, Hereford, which is open 8am- 8pm

• Minor Injury Units - Ledbury Community Health and Care Centre Minor Injury Unit (open 24- hours-a-day), Leominster Community Hospital and Ross-on-Wye Community Hospital Minor Injury Units (open from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday only), Kington Health and Social Care Centre Minor Injury Unit (open from 8am to 8pm)

• Taurus extended hours GP services at: Wargrave House Surgery, St Owen Street, Hereford; The Marches Surgery, Westfield Walk, Leominster; and Pendeen Surgery, Kent Avenue, Ross-on-Wye, which are available from 8am to 8pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Visit www.taurushealthcare.co.uk (7 day access)

• Local pharmacy. For more information on local health services, visit www.nhs.uk