Consultant doctor strike action: What it actually means for hospital patients in Shropshire

Consultant doctors and hospital-based dentists are taking strike action today (July 20, from 8am) until 8am on Saturday, with consultants only helping to cover emergency care.

In contrast to the strike action recently seen among other staff groups, no other clinicians can provide cover for consultants, so the disruption will be severe.

Any planned care delivered by junior doctors or other healthcare professionals that requires even remote consultant supervision will need to be rescheduled.

Speaking to Shropshire Star earlier this week, Dr Nick White, chief medical officer at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said: “This could be the most severe impact we have seen in the NHS as a result of industrial action, with routine care virtually at a standstill for 48 hours.

“Consultants will not only stop seeing patients themselves, but they won’t be around to provide supervision over the work of junior doctors.

“It also follows on very closely from the longest ever junior doctors strike, which itself affected thousands of appointments, with back-to-back action leaving NHS services with almost no time to recover."

Dr White added: “We are working closely with our trusts to ensure that emergency and urgent care is prioritised, and patients remain safe, but it’s becoming more challenging to get services back on track after each round of action.”

The consultants' action follows on from the longest period of industrial action in NHS history by junior doctors, which started last Thursday and ended on Tuesday morning.

Advice for the public who need care remains the same – people should use 999 in life-threatening emergencies and NHS 111 online for other health concerns.

GP services and pharmacies are also available for patients and can be accessed in the usual way.

Patients are also reminded that if they haven’t been contacted or informed that their planned appointment has been postponed, they should attend as normal.

Members of the public have been issued the following reminder:

• For life-threatening emergency or serious injury: call 999 or go to your nearest Emergency Department (A&E)

• For medical attention and advice: use NHS 111 online or call NHS 111 as the first port of call

• Minor Injury Units, GP surgeries and pharmacies are not impacted by the strike action. Continue to attend your GP appointments, unless you are contacted and told otherwise

• If you have not been contacted, attend your appointment as planned. The NHS will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled due to strike action

• The NHS is also asking the public to play their part by taking simple steps during industrial action to look after themselves, loved ones and checking in on vulnerable family members and neighbours

More information about the industrial action can be found on the NHS England website.