Patients across the Southern Health Trust area are being warned to expect “significant disruption” to services during two days of planned industrial action this week and next.
The walkouts will run from 7am on Thursday, June 25 to 7am on Friday, June 26 and then again from 7am on Monday, June 29 to 7am on Tuesday, June 30.
The Trust says its priority will be maintaining safe care for acutely unwell patients and protecting urgent and emergency services.
However, it is warning that many routine and planned services are likely to be affected, and that hospitals and community services will be operating under “enormous pressure”.
Despite the disruption, patients are being urged to attend all scheduled hospital and community appointments, procedures and clinics as normal – unless they are directly contacted by the Trust to say their appointment has been postponed.
A spokesperson said patients should “assume your appointment is going ahead” if they have not been notified of a change.
The Trust is appealing to the public to use Emergency Departments (EDs) only in genuine emergencies during the industrial action.
People are asked to attend EDs only if they have serious or life-threatening symptoms that clearly require hospital care, and to call 999 if someone is acutely unwell.
Departments are expected to be “busier than usual” with longer waiting times. Patients will be seen strictly in order of clinical priority – meaning the sickest will be treated first, regardless of when they arrive.
There are already “significant numbers” of patients in hospital beds who are medically fit to be discharged, the Trust has warned – a situation which places added strain on services during industrial action.
Families and carers are being asked to leave hospital promptly when discharged and to support relatives and loved ones to return home as soon as they are medically fit.
This, the Trust says, will help ensure beds and staff are available for the sickest patients who most urgently need hospital care.
The Trust has thanked patients and service users in advance for their “understanding and kindness” towards staff.
“Our staff will be working under enormous pressure during this time,” the statement said. “We will do everything we can to minimise disruption and maintain safe services.”
People are being urged to think carefully before going to hospital and to consider whether their condition could be safely managed by a community pharmacist, their GP surgery and GP Out of Hours for urgent issues that cannot wait.
If you need urgent medical advice when your GP is closed but it is not a 999 emergency, contact Southern Area GP Out of Hours on: 028 3839 9201.
Further information on choosing the right service and managing common illnesses and conditions is available at:
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/how-use-your-health-services
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/illnesses-and-conditions
