The British Medical Association (BMA) has confirmed that industrial action, in the form of strikes, will take place at Isle of Wight NHS Trust this week. This action will impact our services.
Junior doctor members of the BMA are due to take part in strike action from 7am on Thursday 13 July until 7am on Tuesday 18 July. While consultant members of the BMA are due to strike from 7am on Thursday 20 July until 7am on Saturday 22 July. Both actions relate to an ongoing dispute between unions and the Government over pay.
We would urge patients and visitors to be aware of the expected impact these strikes will have on services and be prepared for disruption but please still attend for any appointments unless contacted.
We are working with our teams to safely manage the impact of the industrial action, but some appointments or procedures will need to be rescheduled. We apologise for any inconvenience this causes and thank you for your understanding as staff will be working hard to minimise this where possible.
Our Emergency Department will remain open, however please only attend if you require urgent or emergency care.
If you have an appointment scheduled for a day that strike action is taking place on:
We will be contacting any patients with appointments on these days who will be affected by the industrial action. Unfortunately, this may be at short notice, as teams are working to try and keep activity going where possible.
If you do not hear from us, please attend your appointment as planned.
If you need medical care:
Please contact your GP Practice as usual.
You can also visit 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 the Emergency Department or another NHS urgent care service
- You require health information or reassurance about what to do next.
For symptoms and advice if you have a child unwell at home, visit the Healthier Together website or download the app.
More information can be found on the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care System website.
Frequently asked questions
When will the strikes take place?
Unions have announced a five-day, 120-hour, walkout of junior doctors from 7am on Thursday 13 July until 7am on Tuesday 18 July.
This action will be quickly followed by a 48-hour strike by hospital consultants from 7am on Thursday 20 July until 7am on Saturday 22 July 22.
What is the difference between consultants and junior doctors?
Almost half of all hospital doctors in the country are junior doctors – more than 50,000. A junior doctor is any medical graduate who is in further training and not yet qualified to practice independently without supervision. They work across the hospital helping to diagnose, write prescriptions, support admission and discharge, maintain flow within the hospital and much more.
Hospital consultants are the NHS’s most senior clinicians, whose roles cannot be covered by other staff.
How will this affect appointments?
Some services may operate differently during strike action as we expect to see significant impact on planned and routine care.
If we have not contacted you about changing a planned appointment, you should attend as normal.
As we are unable to predict how many members will take industrial action, any service we are able to provide may be subject to change with little notice. We understand this can be frustrating but are doing what we can to continue providing urgent and emergency care for those who need it most.
What if I need urgent or emergency care?
Anyone who needs urgent care should use NHS111 online or call NHS 111 to be assessed and directed to the right care for them. GP services are not impacted by this strike action so you should continue to contact them in the usual way when appropriate.
When someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk, you should seek emergency care in the normal way, by calling 999 or attending the Emergency Department.
