Resident doctor strike – advice on using NHS services

The British Medical Association (BMA) has announced resident doctors (formerly junior doctors) will take strike action from 07.00 am on Friday 25 July until 7am on Wednesday 30 July.

BMA resident doctors are currently in dispute with the government over pay and conditions and have a current mandate to take industrial action. This mandate runs until January 2026.

During these strikes, all other NHS staff (including consultants and other specialist doctors) will be working to ensure that safe staffing for emergency care continues to be available and that as many services as possible continue to operate safely.

Regardless of any strike action, it is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and serious life-threatening cases - when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.

During this time, it is likely that there will be a reduction in elective activity, and this may mean some planned appointments and procedures will need to be rescheduled. We will only reschedule appointments and procedures where necessary and will rebook as soon as we are able to.

There may also be fewer doctors working than usual, and they will need to prioritise life saving care. Patients with less urgent needs may experience longer waits.

The NHS is asking patients to choose services appropriately during industrial action and to 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 always, only using 999 if it is a serious or life-threatening emergency.

For more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, you can visit the NHS UK website.

If you do find that you need to wait longer than usual, please be patient and kind to all our colleagues. Thank you for your support and understanding.

Advice for patients

Appointments and services

If you have an appointment, please attend as planned. Please don’t call to check if your appointment is going ahead. If your appointment is affected by industrial action, we will contact you directly.

Maternity services – please access the services as usual.

If you become unwell or have any concerns about your heath, including your baby’s movements, please call the maternity advice line and emergency triage - call: 01823 343985. The support line is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week and is your dedicated maternity emergency line.

Alternative maternity advice and emergency numbers:

• Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester - 0300 369 0388
• Royal United Hospital (RUH), Bath - 01225 826454
• Salisbury District Hospital - 01722 425185

For more details, please visit our Maternity pages (somersetft.nhs.uk)

Visiting patients

We continue to welcome family members and loved ones to visit patients at our hospitals, please speak to your ward to arrange visits as usual.

Which service should I access?

We would like to encourage anyone with a non-urgent care need to first seek help from NHS 111, before attending our hospital sites.

• If you have a life-threatening emergency, our Emergency Departments at Yeovil District Hospital and Musgrove Park Hospital are open 24 hours a day
• Contact NHS 111, if you have an urgent medical problem that isn’t a serious or life-threatening emergency - contact 111 first by phone or online at 111.nhs.uk– they will provide immediate medical advice and direct you to the best care for your needs
• Mental health support, if you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties with mental health and need to speak to someone, please get in touch with the team at Mindline Somerset, any time of the day or night, seven days a week, locally on 01823 276892 or Freephone 0800 138 1692.
• You can also access out of hours emotional support from the Crisis Safe Space service and information and tools to support your mental health can be found on the Somerset Open Mental Health partnership website
• GP practices will continue to be open as usual. Please continue to attend your GP and dental appointments, unless you are contacted and told otherwise
• Self-care: Visit NHS 111 online for self-care advice for things like grazed knees, coughs and colds
• Pharmacy: Visit your local pharmacy for headaches, upset stomachs, aches and pains
• Urgent Treatment Centres: for urgent, not life-threatening conditions and injuries such as sprains, fractures and burns. For the latest information on opening hours and services, visit the Urgent Treatment Centre pages

Further information on NHS services, opening hours and waiting times can also be found by downloading the NHS Quicker App.

You can find more information about healthcare services across Somerset on the NHS Somerset website.

Useful links:

Visit the NHS England website for more information about the strikes, including answers to Frequently Asked Questions.