"Strike action will impact services" Warning issued by hospital as doctors begin a five-day walk out
A new five-day doctor's strike is set to begin at 7am on Wednesday, December 17 with Portsmouth’s Hospitals Trust telling patients it is “working hard to minimise disruption”.
The five-day walk out will take place from December 17 to 22 after a vote by members of the British Medical Association in a row over pay and conditions. The BMA argues that, despite the pay rises, resident doctors' pay is still a fifth lower than it was in 2008, once inflation is taken into account.
Meanwhile, the Portsmouth Hospitals Trust, which has services at QA, St Mary’s, Petersfield and Gosport has warned “this strike action will impact services across all our sites”.
It said: “We have plans in place to protect safe patient care, however our services remain very busy and we need your help to keep the Emergency Department free for emergencies and support patients ready for discharge to leave hospital.
“If you have an appointment during this time, please continue to attend unless you hear from us directly, as our teams are working hard to reduce disruption where possible.
“Your GP Practice, Urgent Treatment Centres and Community Pharmacy will be open as usual, so continue to use these as needed. If you need urgent help but aren't sure which service is right, visit NHS 111 Online for support.”