Junior doctors are expected to take part in strike action, organised by the British Medical Association, from 7am on Tuesday 11 April to 7am on Saturday 15 April, and the industrial action will affect services at Kingston Hospital.
Approximately 75% of outpatient appointments that were due to take place at Kingston Hospital on the days of strike action have been rescheduled and the hospital’s Emergency Department is expected to be particularly busy.
Anyone whose appointment needs to be cancelled due to strike action will be contacted and appointments will be rescheduled as soon as possible. People should continue to attend appointments as planned, unless they are told otherwise.
It is important that people continue to come forward for urgent care during the strike action, especially in an emergency and in life-threatening cases.
Dr William Oldfield, Chief Medical Officer for Kingston Hospital, said: “Our staff are working hard to minimise disruption to care and treatment during the upcoming industrial action, but we know that next week will be very challenging. We would like to apologise to our patients for the disruption and thank them for their understanding. During the days of strike action, our Emergency Department will be prioritising patients that need care most urgently. If you attend our Emergency Department, waiting times will be longer than usual, and if we feel you could be seen elsewhere, we may redirect you. Our staff may also be more stretched than usual and so we ask everyone to remain kind and compassionate.”
If people need medical help or advice or are unsure about whether they should go to hospital, 111.nhs.uk should be the first port of call. Call NHS 111 for advice on where to go and what to do next.
During the strike action, people may be seen more quickly at Teddington Urgent Treatment Centre, which is open from 8am until 8pm (7 days a week).
Local pharmacies may also be able to help and can provide advice on minor health concerns from skin rashes to earaches and flu. Many pharmacies stay open late, and no appointment is needed. You can also contact your GP surgery for appointments about illnesses or injuries that won’t go away.
More information on the strikes is available on the NHS website. You should always call 999 if it’s a life-threatening emergency – find out more on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E.
