Statement from Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust - 30 November 201
Staff at Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust are gearing up for the impact of industrial action as
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Caption: Hospital interior. A corridor, a door leading to operating theatresa member of staff wearing scrubs walking towards OR.
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junior doctors prepare to strike tomorrow.
Following a British Medical Association (BMA) ballot which took place earlier this month, junior doctors will take industrial action from 8am tomorrow in response to proposed national changes to junior doctors’ contracts.
Tuesday 1st December will mark the first day of the strike, when junior doctors will provide emergency cover only for a 24hr period starting at 8am and running through until 8am on Wednesday 2ndDecember. Full strike action is also scheduled to take place on Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 16th December, from 8am to 5pm.
Staff working across Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill are seeking to ensure any disruption is minimised through the use of business continuity and contingency plans. A small number of non-urgent appointments are being rearranged, for example, and a handful of outpatient clinics have been cancelled to ensure doctors can maintain a safe level of care within the hospital.
Emergency care services will continue to be provided and people in need of urgent care will be prioritised during the period of industrial action.
Patients are also being offered the following information and advice:
- If you are due to attend an appointment or come into hospital on any of the strike dates mentioned above, please assume this is going ahead as planned. Should there be a need to change or rearrange your appointment or procedure, a member of the hospital team will contact you to discuss and / or make alternative arrangements.
- If your appointment falls on one of the strike days and you have specific concerns or need to speak to someone about it, please call the telephone number provided on your appointment change / cancellation letter.
- Pickets are expected outside the entrances of both Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital tomorrow, however these will be peaceful and will not hamper or prevent patients, visitors or other staff from entering and leaving the hospital sites.
- Hospitals are likely to experience extra pressure tomorrow and on each of the forthcoming strike days, so please help us by familiarising yourself with alternative local sources of healthcare advice and medical treatment. If you feel unwell, Minor Injury Units, walk-in-centres, your GP surgery or local pharmacy may be able to provide the help you need more quickly, and closer to home. Information on all health services available locally can be found at nhs.uk
Alan Harper, Assistant Director of Planning at Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust says:
“The Trust recognises that staff are entitled to voice their opinions through industrial action. This action has been nationally agreed and is not specific to Hull or to our hospitals.
“We are working to ensure services run as near to as normal as possible tomorrow, however the action will undoubtedly lead to some local disruption for our patients and other clinical staff.
“We would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, and ask for both patience and understanding as we work through this period of industrial action.”
Please check the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust website www.hey.nhs.uk for further information.
