NHS Greater Manchester Strike: Essential Care Information

NHS Greater Manchester is giving advice on how to get care while resident (formerly junior) doctors take planned strike action from 7am on Tuesday 7th to 7am on Monday 13th April.

Health and care teams are, as usual, working to keep as many services running as possible. Consultants, specialist doctors, nurses, and other NHS staff will continue providing care, but with resident doctors taking strike action and following a bank holiday weekend, services will be busier than usual.

Where to go for help:

•          Appointments: please attend hospital and GP practices as planned unless contacted to reschedule. Some planned procedures may be postponed to prioritise urgent care.
•         Dental care: for pain in your mouth, teeth, or gums, call the Greater Manchester Dental Helpline for free on 0333 332 3800. The service is available 8am – 10pm daily, including weekends and bank holidays, for urgent help when your dental practice is closed or if you do not have a regular dentist. Charges may apply.
•         Emergency care: call 999 or attend A&E for life-threatening conditions such as chest pain, severe bleeding, difficulty breathing, or symptoms of a stroke.
•          NHS 111: for urgent but non-emergency health needs, you can contact NHS 111 online, by phone, or through the NHS App. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Accessibility options include SignVideo and Text Relay (18001 111) for people who need them. NHS 111 can help you find the right care for your symptoms.
•         Pharmacies: a good first port of call for many health issues. Under Pharmacy First, pharmacists can treat conditions such as earache (age 1 – 17), sore throats (age 5+), and urinary tract infections (age 16 – 64) without a GP appointment.
•         Urgent eye care: Greater Manchester’s Urgent Eye Care Service can help if you experience sudden changes in vision, red or painful eyes, or new flashes or floaters. The service is available throughout the week, including evenings and weekends. Call your local optician first, and if they do not provide the service, you can find one that does.

How the public can help:

•         Plan prescriptions early: make sure you have enough repeat medication to last through the Easter bank holiday and the resident doctor strike. Order at least a week in advance, and earlier if it overlaps a bank holiday.
•  Use the right service: for minor health issues, start with pharmacies; for dental problems, contact your dentist or the Greater Manchester Urgent Dental Helpline; for eye concerns, get in touch with an optician or the Urgent Eye Care Service. For other health advice or to be signposted to the right place, contact NHS 111.
•         Support family, friends and neighbours: check in on those who need extra support, especially those recently discharged from hospital, who may need help collecting prescriptions or food, accessing healthcare, or managing minor illnesses.

Dr Neil Bayman, Executive Medical Director for The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, on behalf of all acute medical directors for NHS Greater Manchester said:

“We know industrial action can be worrying for patients and their families. Please rest assured that NHS teams across hospitals, GP practices and community services are working hard to ensure as many services as possible continue to operate safely – so do attend appointments unless contacted to reschedule.

“Resident doctors are an important part of the NHS workforce, so their planned absence will mean that hospitals and GP practices will be busier than usual. That’s why we are asking everyone to do what they can to help things running smoothly – by planning ahead for prescriptions, using pharmacies, dental and urgent eye services where possible, and supporting loved ones who are ready to leave hospital so care can be provided safely to those who need it most.

“We thank everyone for their patience, understanding, and kindness towards NHS staff during this period.”