Well-prepared contingency plans have been put in place by the Isle of Wight NHS Trust to ensure minimum disruption during the next planned industrial action by Junior Doctors, which will see full withdrawal of labour by junior doctors between 08:00 and 17:00 on Tuesday and Wednesday – 18 hours in total.
Patients who have existing appointments or scheduled operations during this period should attend as normal, unless they are contacted by a member of Trust staff to rearrange their treatment.
The Trust apologises to any patient and their family whose operation or appointment has had to be delayed because of the industrial action. Over the last week the Trust has had to contact a number of patients to either postpone their procedure or appointment or forewarn them that this may happen in the event the industrial action goes ahead.
Shaun Stacey, Chief Operating Officer at Isle of Wight NHS Trust commented:
“I want to reassure residents that, with the support of our staff, emergency care will not be affected by the industrial action, and we have worked hard to minimise the impact across all other aspects of our service. Patients are contacted individually if it is necessary for their operation or appointment to be rescheduled and we endeavor to get them back onto an operating list as quickly as possible.
“I would ask Islanders to ensure that they help to reduce pressure on services by making full use of the range of alternative health care advice and support such as pharmacies, NHS 111 and the NHS Choices website. If you are thinking of visiting the Beacon Centre please think twice. Call 111 first for advice to avoid a possible long wait.
“We have reduced the list size or cancelled some outpatient clinics to enable those doctors to provide support to their colleagues on the Wards, in the Emergency Department, the Beacon Centre and the Medical Assessment Unit. We have also roistered additional Emergency Care Practitioners (highly qualified paramedics) to support the ambulance service and additional call takers to provide advice and support.”
For more information about the strike and what to do visit www.nhs.uk/strike.
Mr Stacey continued:
“We have tried and tested plans in place to deal with a range of disruptions, including industrial action. Our highest priority is to ensure the safety of our patients, regardless of industrial action, and robust plans are now in place to enable services to run as smoothly as possible. We will continue to regularly monitor the situation and liaise with our junior doctors.”
Despite being well prepared for the forthcoming industrial action, Island residents can also help to reduce the pressure on the NHS by following this advice:
• People should protect themselves by planning ahead and finding out in advance what to do if they need medical help, particularly those in vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, children and people with long-term conditions. Helpful advice can be found at www.nhs.uk
• Patients on regular medication should always ensure that they have sufficient supplies and collect medicines in good time
• If you need medical help or advice, choose the right service for your needs – NHS 111 and the NHS Choices website (www.nhs.uk) provide information on the range of healthcare services available
• Call NHS 111 if you urgently need medical help or advice but it’s not a life-threatening situation
• Your local pharmacist can give you advice on many common minor illnesses
• Make an appointment with your GP if you are feeling unwell and it is not an emergency
• Only call 999 if someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk
