Resident Doctor Strikes

Resident doctors in England have voted to reject the Government’s last-minute offer and go ahead with December strikes as planned. 

They will be participating in strike action from 7am Wednesday 17th December - 7am Monday 22nd December. During these strikes, all other NHS staff (including consultants and other specialist doctors) will still be working, and the focus of the NHS will be on ensuring as many services as possible continue to operate safely.

During the strikes, there may be fewer doctors working than usual, and they will need to prioritise lifesaving care. Less urgent cases may experience longer waits during strikes. The NHS is asking patients to choose services appropriately during industrial action and take simple steps to help ensure care is available to patients who need it most. This includes using 111 online as the first port of call for health needs, and as ever only using 999 if it is a serious or life-threatening emergency. More information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E is available on the nhs.uk website.

GP practices will continue to be open during the resident doctors strikes. Resident doctors who train in GP practices, known as GP registrars, may take strike action. While they are an important part of the practice team, the effective running of the practice is not dependent on them as they are considered ‘supernumerary’ to the workforce of the practice, meaning they are an additional member of staff. Please continue to attend your GP and dental appointments, unless you are contacted and told otherwise.

Regardless of this news, NHS England have said it is "really important that patients who need urgent medical care care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and serious life-threatening cases". Patients should also attend planned appointments if they have not been contacted already about the need to reschedule.