The public across the South East are being urged to think ahead for this Bank Holiday weekend to ensure critical NHS services are available for those most in need, as preparations are also made for the next round of industrial action.
The NHS typically sees increased demand over Bank Holidays and combined with the strike planned by the Royal College of Nurses from 20:00 on Sunday 30th April until 23:59 on Monday 1st May, this will create significant challenges for the NHS.
It is therefore vital that the public are aware of the pressure the health service will be under and know the best way to access care during that time. The RCN strike action, with no derogations, will involve nursing staff working in emergency departments, intensive care units, cancer care and other services that were previously exempt.
We are now in the 5th month of industrial action across the NHS and this has a cumulative impact on staff who have gone above and beyond to maintain safe patient services during a challenging period.
The NHS is working hard to prioritise resources to protect emergency treatment, critical care, neonatal care, maternity, and trauma, and ensure we prioritise patients who have waited the longest for elective care and cancer surgery.
NHS England South East Regional Chief Nurse, Acosia Nyanin, said:
“Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases – when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.”
“Patients should take advice from 111 / 999 call-handlers on whether there are circumstances where it is suitable for them to make their own way to hospital. During strike days, it is likely 999 call handlers will be very busy. NHS 111 call centres will have fewer staff, with longer call response times expected across the system. As a result, we are urging anyone with non-urgent care need to first seek help from NHS 111 online.”
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We will only reschedule appointments and procedures where necessary and will rebook immediately, where possible. Unfortunately, these strikes will have a significant impact upon planned and routine care.
General practice, community pharmacies, and dentistry are not impacted by strike action and the public should continue to access these services as needed on strike days. The NHS will contact anyone whose appointment needs to be rescheduled due to strike action. If the NHS has not contacted you, it is important to attend appointments as planned.
Pay them a decent wage then. How is it right that a nurse working 80 hours a week has to rely on a foodbank? Disgusting from the tory government
dont exaggerate! hope many do those hours and visit bank cmon now.are they living in there means? they know the wage when they join
Nurses are not working 80 hours a week! They work an average of 40 hours a week over a 4 week period, they get enhanced rates of pay for nights, weekends and bank holidays. An 18 year old with no qualifications can become a HCA and earn £20k plus a year basic, with enhancements it’s closer to £25k, They get paid leave, continuing education, tax rebate on shoes and tights/socks.
I know all this as I have been a nurse for 25 years, I voted against the strike, I voted to accept the pay offer as I just wanted it to stop. If there are that many staff at St Mary’s who are that unhappy, then leave and let those of us who are proud and honoured to be in a position to care for people at their lowest ebb to carry on.
You really are full of it. As if any nurse would have to use a food bank. They are among the highest paid workers on the island.
I have put it in my diary not to fall ill.
Well simple answer is ‘pay them a decent wage!’ And we wouldn’t have all these problems:( we would have enough staff not to have to strike and put our lives at risk wouldn’t we?
They (angels) care about patients about as much as boomers care about the environment.