National industrial action update

From 7am on Wednesday 20 December until 7am on Saturday 23 December, junior doctors who are members of the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) are taking 72 hours of national strike action.

Junior doctors who are members of the BMA are also taking strike action from 7am on Wednesday 3 January until 7am on Tuesday 9 January 2024.

This strike action will affect a number of NHS trusts, including University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW).

The industrial action is a national dispute between the government and trades unions about terms and conditions.

Patient safety is our top priority. We have tried and tested plans in place and are committed to keeping disruption caused by the industrial action to a minimum.

Appointments

If you have an appointment during the period of strike action, please attend your appointment unless you hear from us. Please don't call to check if your appointment is going ahead. We will be in touch with patients directly if we need to rearrange your appointment.

Our emergency department (ED)

Our urgent and emergency services are continuing to run throughout the industrial action. If you have a life-threatening emergency our emergency departments in Bristol remain open 24 hours a day, and at Weston General Hospital it remains open 14 hours a day (8am-10pm), as usual.
Please be aware, that like the wider NHS and local health and care system, all of our hospitals are really busy:

• If you have a minor illness or minor injury, local GP surgeries and pharmacies will be open during the days of industrial action.
• If you have an urgent medical problem that isn't an emergency and aren't sure what to do, contact NHS 111 first by phone or online – they will provide immediate medical advice and direct you to the best care for your needs.

Visiting patients

We continue to welcome and encourage family members and loved ones to visit patients at our hospitals during strike action.

For more information

Visit the NHS England website for further information about the strikes including answers to Frequently Asked Questions.