This week will see further strikes by hospital consultants in Cheshire and Merseyside.

Hospital consultants will be taking a second round of strike action for 48 hours from 7am on Thursday 24th August until 7am on Saturday 26 August, ahead of the Bank Holiday weekend.

NHS Trusts across Merseyside are set to be severely impacted by these strikes, and the public are being advised that significant service disruption is highly likely.

Emergency services in place

Emergency services will remain in place on Thursday and Friday, with staffing levels in line with that in place on ‘Christmas Day’. This will ensure that emergency care continues to be provided and that patients remain safe while consultants take lawful industrial action, but disruption should be expected and elective or non-emergency care will be significantly impacted.

Health leaders are therefore urging members of the public to use NHS 111 Online for all non-emergency healthcare needs.

Online service

The online service works the same as over the phone and is already popular with people who want quick advice about the best options for getting the care they need. These can include a call back from a trained clinician or nurse, an appointment in A&E or important advice.

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Medical Director, Prof Rowan Pritchard-Jones said: “The NHS has tried and tested plans in place to mitigate risks to patient safety and manage the disruption caused by industrial action, but this week’s strikes by hospital consultants in the run up to the Bank Holiday weekend will inevitably lead to significant disruption for many patients.

“However, we want to reiterate that urgent and emergency care services will be open, and in the event of a life or limb-threatening emergency you should always call 999.

“If it’s not an emergency, please use NHS 111 Online to ensure you are signposted to the right service first time.”

Appointments

Hospital care providers will contact patients directly if their appointment is affected. People are asked to attend as planned if they have not heard from them in advance.

Local NHS services are using their websites and social media channels to provide up to date information to the public about local service disruption – so patients are urged to check for updates before they travel.

NHS 111 Online

NHS 111 Online can tell you:

• Where to get help for your symptoms
• How to find general health information and advice
• Where to get an emergency supply of your prescribed medicine
• How to get a repeat prescription
• How to get an emergency dental appointment

Ahead of the Bank Holiday we are also reminding people to plan ahead and order any repeat prescriptions for medication early, and that over the weekend some local pharmacies may have different opening hours.

You can use these links to:

• find your nearest pharmacy and it opening hours.
• find out when to call 999.
• find out when to go to A&E.