What is happening

Junior doctors at ELHT are set to take part in national industrial action for 72 hours, starting from 7am on Wednesday, June 14.

Members of the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) voted in favour of the strike as part of a dispute with the Government over pay. 

Please be assured that we are working hard to minimise disruption to services. However, the strike will impact hospitals in East Lancashire.

If you need emergency care

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.

Please contact NHS 111 online or call 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; or
  • You require health information or reassurance about what to do next.

They will provide an assessment and if appropriate, an appointment will be arranged at the appropriate location.

A&E

Urgent and emergency care and other critical services such as maternity departments will be open so please continue to seek treatment if you need to.

A&E is available for life-threatening situations.

Planned procedures or outpatient appointments

If you have an appointment at any of our hospitals, please assume this is going ahead unless you have been told otherwise by ELHT.

If we need to rearrange any appointments or procedures, we will contact you directly to let you know - however this may be at late notice as every possible avenue is explored for activity to go ahead.

If you’re concerned and feel you need to speak to someone, please contact your clinical team using the contact information on your appointment letter.

Please note, in the event of the strike being cancelled, appointments will go ahead as originally planned.

If you are an inpatient

Consultant cover will be in place to maintain safe patient care during the strike, along with nurses and allied health professionals.

Visitors

Visiting times at all the Trust’s hospitals are not affected and relatives and carers are welcome to attend as normal.

If you want to know more about industrial action, please click here to visit NHS England’s website.​​