Ahead of the upcoming strike action which will last almost 10 days, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (SASH) is urging the local community to choose services wisely to help ensure care is available for patients who need it most.

Junior doctors, who are members of The British Medical Association (BMA) and Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HSCA), are expected to take part in industrial action from 7am on Thursday 13 July until 7am on Tuesday 18 July. Less than 48 later, NHS consultants who are members of the BMA, will also take strike action on Thursday 20 and Friday 21 July. This will be the longest period of strike action the NHS, and the Trust, has ever seen.

While NHS services are expected to be very busy, especially over the weekend of the 15 and 16 July, those who need urgent and emergency care should still come forward.

During the last strike huge numbers of patients still attended East Surrey Hospital’s emergency department. It is therefore vital that people who need care choose services wisely and consider if an urgent treatment centre or minor injury unit can help. This will help ensure care is available to patients who need it.

This includes using NHS 111, walk-in-centres, GP practices, pharmacies, Crawley urgent treatment centre and the minor injury units at Caterham Dene, Horsham and East Grinstead for non-life-threatening care, and only using 999 or East Surrey emergency department in a genuine emergency – such as if you are seriously ill or experiencing a life-threatening emergency.

Hospital staff will be working round the clock to ensure the safe care of all patients who need urgent and emergency care, as well as maintaining as much routine care as possible, and while disruption should be expected, the Trust are working hard to minimise this. People should therefore not put off seeking vital care on strike days.

 Angela Stevenson, Chief executive, said:

 “Thank you to our local community for all their support during what we are expecting to be an exceptionally busy period. For those who need to use our services over the next ten days, while disruption should be expected, please do see us if there is a genuine emergency. We are working hard to minimise disruption and maintain as much routine care as possible. Please continue to attend any scheduled appointments unless we have informed you otherwise.

 “Where you don’t need emergency or urgent care as your condition isn’t life-threatening, please remember to utilise other NHS services out there besides A&E and 999, such as 111 online, your local pharmacy or GP, as well as nearby treatment centres at Crawley, Caterham Dene, Horsham and East Grinstead which will be running as normal. This will help ensure care is available to patients who need it most.”

A statement from Ed Cetti, Chief Medical Officer at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust:

“Our hospital, and especially our emergency department, is under huge pressure due to the ongoing industrial action and a high number of patients attending our emergency department.

“While we are working hard to minimise disruption and care for people as quickly as possible, please only attend ED if it’s a genuine emergency. If your condition isn’t life-threatening, you will be re-directed to other NHS services such as 111 online, your local pharmacy or GP, as well as the Urgent Treatment Centre at Crawley, or the Minor Injury Units at Caterham Dene, Horsham and East Grinstead as appropriate. This will help ensure care is available to patients who need it most.”

Patients who need medical advice or non-life-threatening care should:

  • Use 111 online as their first port of call as this will be able to identify the most appropriate local service, patients should only call 111 if they do not have access to the internet.
     
  • Patients should also make use of local pharmacies and General Practice for non-urgent medical issues as much as possible.
     
  • Visit the local urgent treatment centres (UTC) and minor injury units (MIU). These will be running as normal during industrial action:
    • Caterham MIU (if aged 18 and over) – Located at Caterham Dene Hospital, Church Road, Caterham, CR3 5RA. Open 9am – 8pm, seven days a week. This is a convenient alternative to A&E and is run by qualified emergency nurse practitioners. The MIU provides treatment for cuts and grazes, sprains and strains, broken bones (fractures), bites and stings, infected wounds, eye problems such as infections or scratches, sports injuries, minor burns and scalds. X-ray facilities available on site.
       
    • Crawley UTC – Located at Crawley Hospital, West Green Drive, Crawley, RH11 7DH. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. UTCs treat most injuries that are urgent but not life threatening. For example, sprains and strains, broken bones, minor burns and scalds, minor head and eye injuries, bites and stings.
       
    • Horsham MIU – Located at Horsham Hospital, Hurst Road, Horsham, RH12 2DR. Open 9am – 5pm from Monday – Friday, excluding bank holidays. They are a minor injuries unit staffed by emergency nurse practitioners and other nursing and ancillary staff. They provide assessment and treatment of a wide range of minor injuries in both adults and children. Following assessment patients may be treated and discharged or, if appropriate, referred onto other health care providers. X-ray facilities available on site.
       
    • East Grinstead MIU – Located at Queen Victoria Hospital, Holtye Road, East Grinstead, RH19 3DZ. Open 8am – 8pm, seven days a week. The unit is run by emergency practitioners who are well-trained and experienced specialist nurses and paramedics who are able to assess, diagnose and treat a wide range of minor injuries and ailments for both adults and children over one year old. X-ray is available for Minor Injuries Unit patients if required Monday - Friday 8.30am -5pm, Saturday 9am - 1pm and Sunday/bank holidays 10am - 1pm for adults and children over four years. On call cover is also available for emergency referrals outside of these hours.

Patients should only call 999 or come to A&E in a life-threatening emergency.

Patients who have an appointment on strike days:

  • Should continue to attend any appointments as planned unless we have contacted you to rearrange.
  • The safety of our patients is our absolute priority and appointments will only be rearranged as a last resort to ensure that we have enough frontline staff to care for those who are critically or seriously ill.
  • We do understand how frustrating this will be for our patients. Please bear with us and we will do everything we can to re-book you for the earliest possible date.