We are expecting our services at Ashford and St Peter’s hospitals to be significantly affected for 72 hours next week, when junior doctors and consultants will take industrial action from 07:00 on Monday 2 October until 07:00 on Thursday 5 October.
This means that some planned care - appointments, procedures and operations, for example - may be rearranged to help us safely manage the impact of the industrial action and provide emergency care. We would like to apologise to our patients for the disruption that we are expecting, and to thank them for their understanding.
Appointments
If this industrial action impacts your planned care, we will be contacting you directly by letter or telephone to rearrange your appointment as soon as possible. We appreciate this can be a distressing time and we will do everything we can to rebook your surgery or treatment as soon as possible.
Please continue to attend all appointments unless you are contacted and advised otherwise.
If your appointment / procedure is rearranged (and you have requested transport to and from your appointment) please ensure you cancel this in advance by calling 0300 123 9840.
The NHS will be busier than normal, so we ask that you be patient and kind to all members of staff, especially our frontline healthcare workers and admin colleagues who are rescheduling appointments during this time.
Accessing urgent and emergency care
Patients in need of urgent medical care during this strike period should continue to come forward. If you need urgent medical or advice, please visit NHS 111 online or call 111 who will put you in touch with the services you need - from out of hours’ GP services, pharmacies, walk-in centres, and A&E.
In an emergency or life-threatening situation people should continue to call 999.
