Update as NHS strike action impacting ‘all services’

The update comes following waits of up to 11 hours at Bolton A&E yesterday (January 3), with some unspecified hospital trusts across Greater Manchester said to be at the ‘OPEL Four’ operational level, one step below a critical incident.

Elsewhere, NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire declared a critical incident due to high demand in A&E and for admission to wards.

In Greater Manchester, services are said to be ‘working under immense pressure’ due to the industrial action, with resources prioritised on emergency treatment, critical care, neonatal care, maternity, and trauma.

Patients who have waited the longest for urgent elective care and some cancer surgery are also being prioritised.

Health boss weighs in

Mark Fisher, chief executive, NHS Greater Manchester said: “We are currently seeing high demand for our services, and accident and emergency departments (A&E) at our local hospitals are all extremely busy. People with less urgent conditions are therefore likely to experience longer than average waiting times. 

“The first week in January is always extremely busy across the NHS and social care, and strike action is also having a significant impact on all services.

“Although we have planned for all this thoroughly, it is a very challenging time for the health service.

“It’s winter, so there are lots of sick people in our care, and we are also seeing the effects of viruses such as flu and other respiratory illnesses, and sickness bugs. People also come forward for help in higher numbers as things start to return to normal following Christmas, New Year, and the festive period.

“We are working hard to maintain safe services for patients, reduce pressures as quickly as possible, and ensure that those who need care continue to receive it. We encourage people to come forward for the help they need.

“The public can help us manage these periods of demand by ensuring they are seeking help from the most appropriate health services, and only attending A&E for serious accidents and emergencies. But if you need help, you must come forward.”

Hospital system ‘extremely challenged’

In a now-deleted post on X, formerly Twitter, yesterday, Greater Manchester Police said the strikes were challenging the hospital system.

The post read: “A message from @NHS_GM: Our hospital system is extremely challenged today with a few Trusts at OPEL4 level.

“Attendances have increased, ambulance handover times, numbers of patients waiting to be discharged etc and this is further impacted by this weeks [sic] strikes.”

When asked for detail, NHS Greater Manchester said it did not typically share details of which hospitals or trusts are at what level and when ‘because these are internal tools for escalation and pressure levels can change frequently’.

GPs also affected

According to NHS Greater Manchester, some GPs will also be affected during the strike. While GPs remain open, some are training practices, which see junior doctors working on training placements.

In Bury, practices accredited as training practices are: Blackford House Surgery, Fairfax Group Practice, Greenmount Medical Centre, Mile Lane Surgery, Minden Medical Centre, Peel GP’s, Radcliffe Primary CC, Ribblesdale Medical Practice, Rock Healthcare, St Gabriel’s Medical Centre, Tottington Medical Practice, Unsworth Medical Practice and Whittaker Lane Medical Centre.

Doctors can be called back to work

Under a system for derogations agreed between the British Medical Association (BMA) and NHS England, junior doctors can be called back in to work where there are safety concerns about emergency care.

However, NHS trusts are expected to show they have ‘exhausted’ all other sources of staffing before recalling medics.

On Wednesday it emerged that more than 20 requests had been made by hospitals across the country for junior doctors to return to work due to patient safety fears.

Nationally, the BMA has said some NHS trusts have refused to demonstrate they have sought alternative staffing, or have refused to detail efforts to encourage alternative staff to assist, such as through offering time off in lieu or more pay.

Negotiations at a standstill

The BMA says junior doctors’ pay has been ‘cut by more than a quarter since 2008’, and that the cost-of-living crisis, burnout, and below-inflation pay rises ‘risk driving hard working doctors out of their profession at a time when we need the more than ever’.

The union is now asking for a ‘credible offer’ to cancel the strike, and has criticised an additional three per cent as amounting to ‘pay cuts for many doctors this year’.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said: “January is typically the busiest time of the year for the NHS and these strikes will have a serious impact on patients across the country.

“I urge the BMA junior doctors committee to call off their strikes and come back to the negotiating table so we can find a fair and reasonable solution to end the strikes once and for all.”

Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-chairman of the BMA’s junior doctors committee, told the PA news agency: “I hope they (the Government) come back to the table now, but from all of the signals they are sending it won’t be until our strike action finishes. And I hope at that point we can come to a resolution.”

Where to get help, according to the NHS

NHS Greater Manchester provided the following information for those needing healthcare.

NHS 111

NHS Greater Manchester is urging members of the public to use NHS 111 Online for all non-emergency healthcare needs, in the first instance, unless the issue concerns a child under 5, when they should call 111. Deaf people or people with hearing loss can dial 18001 111 on a textphone or use the Relay UK app (which can be downloaded from Apple’s App Store or Google Play Store). NHS 111 Online can help if:

• You need help but don’t know who to call,
• How to find general health information and advice,
• You are ill and need to be told what to do next, and
• How to get an emergency supply of your prescribed medicine.

GP

Contact your GP surgery for appointments about illnesses or injuries that won’t go away. Many GPs offer an out-of-hours service later in the evening and early morning. If you phone your GP during this time, please listen to the answerphone message for information on how to access GP out-of-hours.

Pharmacy

Lots of illnesses can also be managed safely at home, or with a trip to a local pharmacist. There are pharmacies open late in to the night and very early in the morning.

Urgent dental care

The Greater Manchester Urgent Dental Care Service is available from 8am to 10pm every day including weekends for severe dental pain and infection. People can call 0333 332 3800 to be assessed by a healthcare professional, who can provide self-care advice or book a face-to-face appointment, if needed.

Urgent eye care

Free urgent eyecare is available across all 10 areas of Greater Manchester. If you have a sudden and urgent problem with your eyes, you can contact a local practice to get an appointment.

Mental health

For free urgent mental health support, people can contact one of these 24/7 helplines – they’re available to anyone of any age:

• Bolton, Manchester, Salford, Trafford, and Wigan 0800 953 0285 (freephone).
• Bury, Heywood, Middleton & Rochdale, Oldham, Stockport, and Tameside 0800 014 9995 (freephone).

If there’s an immediate risk of danger to life, you should ring 999.

People can also help themselves and others by

• Ordering repeat prescriptions in plenty of time so they don’t run out of medication or other essential items.
• Avoiding hospital if suffering Norovirus-type symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting, or with cold or flu-like symptoms.
• Keeping a well-stocked medicine cabinet at home including painkillers and diarrhoea tablets.
• Having the flu vaccine if eligible.