Industrial action against the Government by Junior Doctors who are members of the British Medical Association (BMA) is set to take place at all NHS organisations, including Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL), from 06:59 on Tuesday 11th April 2023 until 06:59 on Saturday 15th April 2023.
This four-day strike period follows the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, which is always a busy time for NHS services and with this in mind, WWL is calling on the public’s continued support by asking people to continue to access healthcare in the most appropriate way. If a condition is not life, limb or sight-threatening, please use NHS 111 online in the first instance or alternative services such as your GP, pharmacy or local urgent treatment centre.
WWL is also encouraging family and friends of patients who are due to be discharged from hospital to continue to do everything they can to support their loved ones. This will help our teams to free-up hospital beds for those who are waiting to be admitted.
As with previous periods of industrial action, WWL is offering reassurance to the public that robust plans are in place to protect its emergency services and to safely care for patients who are in urgent need, while requesting support from the people of the Wigan Borough, to continue to access the most appropriate healthcare options for non-emergency illnesses.
WWL will maintain a focus on protecting essential life, limb and sight-saving services such as Accident and Emergency (A&E) (including Paediatric A&E), Maternity, Emergency Theatres, and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (including Neonatal Intensive Care and Paediatric Intensive Care), Chemotherapy and Dialysis. However, a number of services will be impacted, including the need to reschedule outpatient and surgical appointments.
If you have an appointment planned with any of the WWL services during the period of industrial action, unless otherwise advised directly by WWL, all patients are asked to attend as normal. You do not need to contact WWL or your GP, as anyone whose appointments or care may be impacted will be contacted directly by WWL to reschedule a new date as soon as possible.
NHS 111
If you need medical help or advice, NHS 111 Online can tell you where to get help for your symptoms and how to find general health information and advice. More information about when to call 999 and when to go to A&E is available via the national NHS website.
Please contact NHS 111 if:
- You need medical help fast, but it's not a 999 emergency.
- You don't know who to call for medical help or you don't have a GP to call.
- You think you need to go to A&E or another NHS urgent care service.
- You require health information or reassurance about what to do next.
Our emergency services remain open for those who need urgent care during this period.