Services at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) are braced for another round of industrial action this weekend, with junior doctors set to strike for the second time in 2024.
The British Medical Association (BMA) will take five days of strike action involving WWL Junior Doctors from 7:00am Saturday 24th February to 11:59pm Wednesday 28th February.
WWL has once again prepared its services to minimise any potential disruption during the strike. During the period of industrial action, ‘Christmas Day cover’ will be provided, this includes protecting emergency treatment, intensive care, new-born care, maternity, trauma and some limited planned care. If you have an appointment at one of our hospitals, please attend unless you hear from the Trust. Please don’t call to check if your appointment is going ahead as the appropriate department will be in touch with you directly if your appointment needs to be rearranged.
Speaking ahead of the upcoming industrial action, WWL Medical Director, Professor Sanjay Arya, said: “The safety of our patients, as always, remains our top priority and we would like to reassure the public that we have worked hard to put plans in place to ensure minimal impact on the quality and timeliness of the care you, your relative, or someone you care for receives over these days. To further help us to continue to provide safe and effective care, we urge families and friends of patients who are ready to be discharged from our hospitals to support their loved ones to recover at home. Our discharge teams are working incredibly hard to make sure this transition is safe, and recovery at home is always the best option.
“During the most recent round of Industrial Action at the start of the year, we saw an increase in demand on our Emergency Department (A&E), with very high attendance figures putting our services under severe pressure. I must ask everyone to use our services appropriately, whilst our staff continue to work hard within our hospitals and with partners from across health and social care within the Wigan Borough to meet this demand.
“Patients should not put off seeking urgent or emergency care for life, limb and sight-threatening conditions. With this said, we are once again asking people to use the most appropriate NHS services available to ensure those with the most urgent and serious needs can be seen.
“It’s really important that we are providing the right care for patients in the right place, and many of our patients are ready to return to their normal place of residence. I would like to re-emphasise those friends, relatives and loved ones of patients can help by supporting them through the discharge process, which will not only help to keep patients comfortable, but it will also free up hospital beds for our patients who desperately need acute care at WWL.”
Dr Tim Dalton, Co-Chair of Healthier Wigan Partnership added: “Health services across the Borough continue to be busy as we head into the next Junior Doctor strike.
“If you need medical help or advice during the strikes, please remember that pharmacies can offer lots of advice and information and that NHS111 online and on the phone can support you with getting the help you need. GPs aren’t affected by the strikes, so we remain open and continuing to support patients throughout, and additional appointments are available across the Borough on evenings and weekends by calling 01942 482848.
“Please only use A&E if you really need it and have a serious or life-threatening illness or injury.”
Where else to get help from? Get to know where to go:
NHS 111:
WWL is urging members of the public to use NHS 111 Online for all non-emergency healthcare needs, in the first instance, unless the issue concerns a child under five-years-old, when they should call 111. Deaf people or people with hearing loss can dial 18001 111 on a textphone or use the Relay UK app (which can be downloaded from Apple’s App Store or Google Play Store).
NHS 111 Online can help if:
• You need help but don’t know who to call
• How to find general health information and advice
• You are ill and need to be told what to do next
• How to get an emergency supply of your prescribed medicine
Pharmacy:
Lots of illnesses can also be managed safely at home, or with a trip to a local pharmacist. There are pharmacies open late into the night and very early in the morning. Find your nearest one here.
Urgent dental care:
The Greater Manchester Urgent Dental Care Service is available from 8am to 10pm every day including weekends for severe dental pain and infection. People can call 0333 332 3800 to be assessed by a healthcare professional, who can provide self-care advice or book a face-to-face appointment, if needed.
Urgent eye care:
If you have a sudden and urgent problem with your eyes, you can contact a local practice to get an appointment: NHS Greater Manchester Community Urgent Eye Care Service (CUES) - Primary Eyecare Services.
Mental health:
For free urgent mental health support, people can contact the 24/7 helpline on 0800 953 0285 – it is available to anyone of any age. If there’s an immediate risk of danger to life, you should ring 999.
More information about when to call 999 and when to go to A&E is available via the national NHS website.